The Snake, the Weasel, and the Dragon
by paddy lover1417
Summary: When Ginny is rescued by a mysterious stranger, she thinks it's just a fun little mystery. However, it ends up leading her to be involved with deatheaters, evil plots, and getting closer to a certain ferret that she never thought she would get close to.
1. It's a tough life for a weasel

It was a dark and cold night. The darkness was only punctured every so often by a flash of lightning. A figure could be seen in such flashes, walking along the edge of the forest, head bent against the rain and wind. The only clue to the figure's identity was the single strand of red hair that escaped the hood; and if one listened closely, the dark grumbles of said red head about her soon to be ex boyfriend who had so nicely left her on the outskirts of the forest when it had begun to rain on their otherwise romantic moonlit picnic. She pulled the cloak around her more tightly, looking quickly to the right where she had heard the skitter of footsteps. She felt for her wand in her pocket, finding a hole and all her change gone. But where was her wand? She slowed her walk as she distractedly felt about for it. "Ah-ha" she began her cries of triumph at feeling the handle of her wand. But the relief flooding her was short lived as she felt a yank on her cloak that made her release her wand within her pocket and stumble to the side, falling inside the shadows of the forest. A lit wand was held towards her face, light blinding her. "I told you not to come back you mangy-," the voice hissed, but it suddenly stopped. "Your not Knott, who the hell are you?" "How about you shine that light on your face and I'll decide if it's worth telling," The red head snapped, annoyance covering the fear that was inside her. The wand pulled back towards a face, but only revealed a pale cheek when a crack of twigs came from behind them. The red head gasped as the wand light died, but not before a hooded figure approaching from the trees was seen, and had seen her.

She felt a yank from who or whatever had shown the light in her face and a hiss of "this way, stupid." The red head followed, tucking the stray piece of hair in her hood and pulling it lower with her free hand. The other arm was being yanked out of its socket by who ever was pulling her. There were heavy footfalls and cracks behind them, getting closer and closer. She felt something reach out and touch the tail end of her coat, just missing it to grasp on. She let out breathe she hadn't realized she'd been holding and began to run faster than who ever was leading her, feeling him slip at the change. He recovered and followed. The footsteps were now receding, replaced by pants and exchanges of voices. There was an abrupt yank on her arm as the person now following her pulled her to the left. "Broom. You ride?" panted the voice. The girl nodded, than realized the other person couldn't see and answered with a croaked "yes." "Good, on." The wand was lit again and the girl saw a broomstick before her. The figure was sitting on it already. Despite the illuminated broom, no light was thrown on the shadowed face of its rider. They kicked off just as the wand went out and the glowing light was replaced by shots of red ones over their heads and on nearby trees. "What's going-" the girl began, seeing figures below looking around confused. "Shh" hushed the figure in front of her. Only they and the dark sky remained. Lightning flashed and the girl could see a flash of pale blonde hair as she ducked her head into his back. It stiffened as if in surprise or perhaps lack of comfort, and then relaxed. Wind blew fiercely around them and the girl's hood flew off revealing mountains of now drenched red hair, cascading down past her shoulders and to her lower back. The ruin of what once was a pleasant updo. The back stiffened again as another flash of lightning filled the sky and the girls freckles where revealed.

He shook a bit, as if to get the girl's head off of him, and the girl looked at the shadow before her. He flew in a familiar fashion, though she couldn't pin point it. "Who are you," she asked quietly. The shadow did not move, merely leaned on his broom enough to bring it to a stop in front of a tower, just below a darkened open window. The snores from within were unmistakably those of the girl's roommate. "You know my room?" The figure shook it's head and motioned to the other windows of the tower, all closed. "Oh. well you know I'm in Gryffindor then?" The figure before her sighed, waiting for the next lightning flash to past, and when the sky was dark again, gave a tug on her red hair. "Weasley." That was all he said as she stood on the broom edge and was raised delicately to a height she could reach. "That's fine," she said as the broom continued to rise. She found herself on the floor of her dorm, and turned to glare at the shadow. She didn't know how she could tell, but the figure seemed to smile, or smirk, or chuckle to himself. "Thanks a lot," she said. "Welcome, Weasley," he replied with a chuckle. The red haired girl jumped up quickly and with a single stride reached the window, grabbed the cloak of the mystery figure and kissed his cheek lightly. "It's Ginny," she corrected as heat radiated from the figures cheeks. "And my rescuer is....." The figure let out a croak, as if about to answer when a voice came from behind.

"Ginny? What are you doing? You're getting the floor all wet!" There were footsteps behind her, and she turned to her approaching roommate. When Ginny looked back at the window, her hand sat poised in the air, holding a wet cloak. "For petesake. I hope it was at least a worthwhile date, getting rained on and all. Michael's been looking for you since it started two hours or so ago," Ginny's roommate Samantha sighed, pushing Ginny and the new cloak aside as she closed the window. "How was it," Samantha asked sleepily as she pulled the covers over her. "It was," Ginny began thinking of a word to describe how her night had gone. "interesting." But Ginny could tell by the snores filling the room around her that no one had caught her significant word selection.

"Wakey, wakey, eggs and bacey!" Ginny gave a grunt that she hoped portrayed her discontent at that exact moment. "Now, now, grumpy boots. Turn that frown upside down." Ginny swung her arm out, hoping to hit the annoying twitter so close to her ear. Instead, she received a giggle as the twittering morning person pulled at the covers keeping Ginny warm. A gust of cold air rushed in around Ginny, whose eyes snapped opened. "What time is it," she asked stretching. "It's time to get up, silly," Samantha twittered in her best chipper voice. Ginny glared at her friend who was purposely chipper whenever she'd received more sleep then Ginny. "You're going to miss all the cute boys and bagels if you don't get up," Samantha said checking her watch. Ginny rolled her eyes. "Hurry!" Ginny rolled out of bed and landed on the floor as gracefully as her brother, Ron. Samantha laughed. "How long are you going to take, lazy bones," Samantha asked. "A bit," Ginny yawned. "I'll meet you down there." Samantha shrugged and skipped off down the stairs. "Michael's looking for you," she called as she closed the door. Ginny gave a little grumble to herself as she reached under the bed to find her wand. She needed that to get dressed after all. Where had she put that cloak from last night. The one with the hole in the pocket. She felt something wet and pulled as hard as she could. Her black cloak gave a loud rip as it appeared from under the bed. Ginny gave a grumble, feeling around for her wand. Finding it, she stood and muttered a spell, her pajamas and dry clothes switching places with a flash of yellow light. She tucked her wand in her pocket, making sure there were no holes, and looked around for her shoes.

Just when she'd pulled them on, she noticed something shiny on her floor. Turning, she curiously picked it up. With it came a wet emerald green cloak, so dark that it looked almost black. She remembered, suddenly, the mystery rescuer and the mystery behind him. Undoing the pin, Ginny looked at it interestedly. It was a large intimidating lizard, a snake, which shined and sparkled, even through the mud that was on it. Two rubies sat at the nostrils as if the beginnings of fire and the emerald eyes sparkled at her challengingly. She'd never seen a more expensive snake pin. "Who would ever want a snake pin," She asked herself aloud, looking at it carefully. This looked like the one Bill had brought home one day from Gringotts. He had been assigned to take it to some wizard royalty. Royalty. Maybe her savior was royal! Who ever it was, she would find out. She looked at the tag in the cloak, but nothing was there except another snake thing, this one curving around like a parenthesis with a sword through it from head to tail. Opening her trunk, she dried the cloak with a quick spell and folded it inside. She then took the pin and placed it on top. She closed the trunk and locked it with every locking spell she knew. "Now he can't accio it," she said proudly to her reflection as she left the room. "He'll have to find me!"

On arriving in the Great hall, Ginny saw the world had already started without her. Already, students where bustling about, greeting their friends and finishing last minute homework. The dream team of Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley were already huddled in a secretive circle. They paused in whatever secret plans they had to wave and smile at the passing Ginny, and then turned again to their toasts and plots. Samantha had a bagel in her hand and it appeared to almost be done. Ginny grabbed a muffin. "Did I miss the ritual," she asked, looking curiously at each table in turn to make sure each person was in place. "I never do my ritual without you," Samantha said, finishing her bagel quickly and licking her fingers. The ritual in reference was the highlight of Ginny's day. Samantha would take turns looking at each table. She said it was best to have at least one crush in each house. It promoted inter-house harmony. The order of eye flirting always began with Harry Potter who usually raised an eyebrow or ignored Samantha completely, sometimes gracing her with a sheepish or questioning smile. Then came some boy at Ravenclaw who often smiled friendly at Samantha or waved, obviously oblivious to the fact that Samantha was flirting with him, using her best material. Those winks made many guys in Ginny's year faint with embarrassed pleasure. Next was Ernie McMillian who always sheepishly blushed, waved, and pretended to go back to doing whatever he had originally been doing. Usually clumsily spilling something and looking back at Samantha sheepishly. That was one of Ginny's favorites, and obviously Samantha's as well since he was second to last. The final one, was Blaise Zabini. Samantha would catch Blaise's eye, and for a moment neither would do anything. Then, an eyebrow would raise or a mouth would twitch and all flirting hell broke lose! For every flirtatious wave Samantha had, Blaise had a charming head nod. For every head-cock and blush, Blaise had a dynamite wink and smirk. For every look through her eyelashes, Blasie had a deep look that mesmerized. It was like watching a tango with two partners who knew how to keep the passion in the dance and made every doubter believe in Gryffindor-Slytherin friendships.

Today however, Samantha let out a sigh. "What's wrong," Ginny asked taking another bite from her muffin, sad that during the first three people she'd eaten her whole muffin top. It was the best part of the muffin, afterall, and she often liked to save at least a bit of it for the Blaise-Samantha tango. She had been watching Ernie Mcmillian recover from spilling orange juice on his pants. That was what had been her muffin's undoing. Samantha only gave a nod towards the Slytherin table. Ginny looked and saw immediately what the problem was. Usually the timing of Blaise and Samantha was impeccable. It was as if Blaise could sense the second before Samantha was going to look his way and they would simultaneously meet gazes. But today he was distractedly watching Draco Malfoy. The blonde ferret had his eyes squinted in concentration, looking up to some non-existent thing on the ceiling. His wand was held, mouth moving in concentration of whatever he was doing. Ginny momentarily was reminded of the blonde hair of her rescuer, but she shook her self mentally, reminding herself that the rescuer's hair had been much nicer than a ferret's. Not to mention, he had been far superior to such a rat like creature as Malfoy. Just as she thought this, Malfoy's eyes opened fully, his head moved from looking at the ceiling, and Ginny's hazel eyes met the steely gray eyes of Draco Malfoy.

"Ginny! Ginny!" Ginny blinked. "What? Why are you whining," she asked, trying to ignore her heart, which was beating a thousand times faster than before. "I've been trying to get your attention for at least half a minute! I thought I was the flirt," Samantha whined. Ginny felt her cheeks warm a bit but snapped, "I was seeing why your lover was distracted." "Right, well I finished my flirting for now," Samantha said with a shrug. "If he wants to watch Malfoy more than me, fine. I simply gave him a smirk and a look over and that was all. I broke that flirt chain much sooner then he'd like." She dusted herself off as she stood, turning so her back was towards the Slytherin table. "Is he looking," she asked excitedly. "Does he look sad? Torn? Disheartened?" Ginny glanced at Blaise who peered at his oatmeal a bit annoyed, but other than that seemed unperturbed. "Torn to pieces. Crying his eyes out to Malfoy," Ginny assured her friend. Samantha whipped around and looked at the table. "Your a liar," Samantha giggled. "He could care less! Hmm, but, he is looking again." "Blaise?" Ginny asked as she and Samantha began to walk towards class. "No, silly," Samantha grinned. "Malfoy." Ginny looked suddenly at the Slytherin table to find Malfoy again concentrating on the ceiling, wand raised. Cheeks a bit pinker than before. He seemed the same as usual.

"And he knew you lived in Gryffindor," Samantha recounted. Ginny gave her friend a sideways look before glancing back at Snape and nodding. Before each girl sat parchment they had charmed. Now, anything either girl wrote on the parchment would disappear from the original parchment and appear on its partner. However, if Samantha was simply going to ask questions out loud, Ginny didn't understand why they were even using the device. If Snape found out, the parchment would surely be confiscated, along with some Gryffindor points. "Who do you think it is? They must know you, and they must be on a quidditch team to be carrying around a broom," hissed Samantha. Snape turned to look at the girls, but found himself faced with Ginny's contemplating expression as she took the pause to scribble down notes. Suspicious but satisfied, Snape continued his lecture. As his back turned, Ginny glared at Samantha. "Why do we even use these if you're just going to talk," she whispered. Samantha stuck her tongue out before shrugging. "There are quite a few blonde people at Hogwarts," Samantha continued quietly. Ginny rolled her eyes, still scribbling down notes. "Oh my, what if he doesn't go to Hogwarts," sighed Samantha. Ginny wondered how long Samantha could go on talking like this. Surely Snape would notice sooner or later. Ginny wondered if she would be counted as a component in the conversation, despite the fact that she had stopped responding. "Ginny, this is important," Samantha hissed, poking Ginny in the arm. "Oh my, what if he's a deatheater," gasped Samantha. "Afterall, he clearly was witnessing or involved in a deatheater meeting if Knott was there." Ginny turned to face her friend fiercely. "My knight in shinnying armor is not a deatheater," Ginny snapped.

"Miss. Weasley, will you repeat what I just said?" Ginny sighed as Samantha's eyes danced with laughter. Snape stood above them, glowering. "I see," he tutted, noticing their parchments just as Ginny's notes faded from her parchment and began to appear on Samantha's. "Well, I would say that that is worth 100 points from Gryffindor." He paused before reaching forward and snatching the parchment away form both girls. The ink dripped off the page as Snape walked it up to his desk. By the time he placed it down, all the words would be gone, luckily. "I think he wanted you to recount why cobra poison is the most boring topic of discussion in the history of potions," whispered a voice. Ginny turned and smiled at the speaker, but it faltered for a moment as she came face to face with pale cheeks and platinum blonde hair. Ginny nearly gave herself whiplash as she turned back around to look at Samantha, who nodded understanding.

Nagendra was a new student at Hogwarts, having transferred earlier in the term. He had been sorted into Gryffindor but had kept mostly to himself. Ginny could remember when he stood up to be sorted after Dumbledore had explained that they would have a new student from one of the foreign schools. Ginny hadn't bothered to listen to details on which one. She had been distracted by the way his pale cheeks had reflected the candlelight, almost blinding her. Yet something about his lanky structure made it so she could not look away. He had turned his blue eyes to the room, scanning it as the sorting hat was placed on his head. Just before it fell over his eyes, his sight paused on her and lingered, a slight smirk appearing on his face. He was not on the quidditch team, but Ginny had seen him flying around the grounds as she walked to Herbology. Nagendra had said very little to Ginny, but she had heard about him from Lavender and Patil, who had made him their new crush. He was apparently very rich and mysterious. "It's something about his eyes," sighed Lavender Brown. "I could look at him forever." Ginny had smiled suggesting that perhaps he was a vampire. In response, both Patil and Lavendar had glared at her. "He is just shy and silent," snapped Patil, personally insulted by the insinuation. "Let's go talk to Padma," Lavender had replied, tossing her hair as she left. Ginny remembered how Nagendra had looked up as the two left, watching their departure disinterestedly before turning to look at her. She had been afraid to look away, his blue eyes and her brown ones stuck in a silent and motionless power struggle, but she had eventually pulled her eyes to her book, feeling her ears burn.

Now, as he left potions, Samantha pointed at him. "It's him," she said firmly. "I'm positive." With that she threw her arms out as if expecting Ginny to rush into them. "How can you be positive," asked Ginny skeptically, helping a first year pick up the books they had dropped after dodging Samantha's emphatic gesture. Samantha's face fell a bit, but she regained her confidence, despite Ginny's lack of enthusiasm. "He's blonde and pale, just like the knight," Samantha said as the girls moved down the hall. "He flies around all the time on his broom and he definitely likes you." "He does not like me," Ginny said rolling her eyes, but blushing as she always did at such flattery. "Yes he does! I can tell by the way he tries to catch your eye. And when he does catch it," Samantha pause waving her hand in front of her face as if fanning it. "It's sparks!" "How do you explain the snake pin then?" Ginny asked, making Samantha pause in thought. "See, I told you it wasn't-oof!"

Ginny found herself, midsentence, on the floor, her bag thrown off her shoulder. Opposite of her, also on the floor, was a tall boy, rubbing his head of platinum blonde hair. For a moment, Ginny's heart beat quickened, thinking it was Nagendra. That idea was ruined when the person opened their mouth and drawled, "Watch where you're going." Instead of Nagendra's blue eyes, Ginny's brown eyes met the grey eyes of Draco Malfoy. They seemed to widen when he saw whom he had spoken to, but he stood quickly, dusting himself off, and glaring at the floor. The change happened so fast that Ginny was unsure if the reaction was in her imagination or not. Samantha brought Ginny her bag as she stood. "Why don't you watch where you're going," snapped Ginny. Malfoy scowled at her. "I don't have time for this, Weasley," he hissed, pushing past. Samantha tsked. "He would be so good looking if only he weren't such a git." Ginny gave her friend a look as she dusted herself off and made sure her inkwell was still secure and closed. "I'm only saying," Samantha said with a laugh at Ginny's annoyance.

_Ginny looked at the forest around her. The trees were taller than those of the Hogwarts forest. They were long and lean, not very sturdy looking. She felt very, very small. There was a rustle to her right. She turned quickly at the darkened areas. It was as if the moon gave a singular spotlight on her and only her. Another rustle, this time on the other side, and she spun to face this, whipping out her wand. Or, it was suppose to be her wand; instead it was only a stick. She threw it to the floor annoyed, thinking of all the advice her brothers had given her about fighting. Another rustle, again from behind her. She spun again, but nothing appeared. "Come out," she called, half hoping who or whatever it was wouldn't take her advice. She heard a hiss behind her, where the stick had been thrown and turned to see a large cobra, larger than the stick it had replaced, in striking position. It's head pulled back, fangs barred, it lunged forward. She closed her eyes waiting for the strike, but nothing came. For a full minute she stood waiting, eyes closed. When she opened them, she saw the snake inches from her ankle, poison on the tip of its fangs frozen, like the rest of the snake. Frozen in motion. She looked around confused and stepped back, looking into the tall trees around her. She bumped into something. The something moved and she turned to see a streak of platinum blonde disappear in the dark. Like Alice after the rabbit, Ginny took off after the blonde. "Wait. Wait! That's the second time," she called desperately. "Come back!" She stopped to catch her breath and saw the blonde move among the nearby trees. He stood in the shadows, a strand of blonde hair dropping over his gray eyes, the only features visible. "I, want, to, thank, you," she puffed. "Please, who are you?" The eyes seemed to decide what to do. A pale hand tossed something silver at Ginny's feet. She picked it up. It was a broach like the snake one on the stranger's cloak, but this one had a luminous glow. Ginny looked up as a foot appeared from the shadow, then a leg, then the beginnings of a torso. "Who are you?" she asked curiously, her heart beating. She took a few steps forward, overcome with some strange emotion for the mystery boy. Just as the light hit his upper chest and Ginny was within arms distance, the silver broach began to glow brighter and a silver dragon like a patronous burst from it and swept past her eye line. She was knocked over, and when she opened her eyes no one was there. It was her, in the woods, not a sound. And then her dreams changed, the mysterious dragon was forgotten in her sub-conscious._

When Ginny awoke, she was late. So late. Later then any time before. She was running faster then ever down the hall, jumping over first years, dodging Peeves, and sliding through closing doors. She felt she should receive a gold medal for these feats, but that was just her opinion. Just when she was only a corner away from her goal, the last person she wanted to see popped out of nowhere. And so she ran right into Michael Sturgis who had been doing his best to avoid the annoyed redhead all week. They both fell to the floor with a clatter. "Ah, Gin! I've been looking for you," Michael said happily, pushing his brown hair from his face and standing. He offered his hand to Ginny. She glared at it and stood. "Why hello there Michael. I haven't seen you since you left me in the rain," she snapped, putting her books back in her bag. "About that," Michael said, dusting himself off and not taking a step towards her scattered books. "I had some dire emergency to attend to." "Right," Ginny snapped. "Hiding under your bed from the lightning?" "I looked for you to explain that my -er- grandmother's hamster suddenly died," Michael continued as if not hearing Ginny. "But I couldn't find you anywhere." "Michael," Ginny said as calmly as a redhead with her legendary redhead temper could. "We are in the same house." Michael shrugged. "Your a hard girl to find." he took a few steps forward and linked his arm with Ginny's. "Let's discuss it over tea, shall we," he asked pulling her in the opposite direction she had been heading. "I don't think so," Ginny replied trying and failing to unlink her arms. "First of all, the picnic was your chance to talk over why you thought we should continue to date when I had already tried three times to solve that unfortunate dilemma." She paused to yank her arm free. "Secondly, I'm late for my potion tutoring." "Come on, Gin!" Michael whined, pulling her bag as she tried to walk away. "How can you say no to this face? I had to help my grandmother through her hamster's death!" "Michael! I am late!" Ginny snapped. "And stop calling me Gin! You know I hate that!" "But Gin," he whined again. "I do believe the young lady said to leave her alone, Sturgis."

Ginny and Michael turned to see Nagendra peering down at Micheal, his blue eyes steely and unmoving, as if he were reading the very soul of the person cowering before him. Ginny tried not to look at the tall boy for to long. "I'm only talking to my girlfriend," Micheal snapped, though he seemed to be shrinking behind Ginny for protection. "Funny, she doesn't seem to want to talk with you," Nagendra said. "Do you?" he turned his blue eyes on Ginny and for a moment she froze. "No," she replied quietly. "Leave me alone Micheal." "See," Nagendra said with a smirk. "That's that." Micheal seemed torn on what his next action should be. But after a few moments of thought, he turned and moved away from Ginny. The two students watched him go until he was out of sight before Ginny smiled at Nagendra embarrassed. "Thanks for that," she said, her ears burning for no reason. Nagendra shrugged, pushing a strand of blonde hair from his face. " I imagine lots of boys try to be your boyfriend. The red hair and all," Nagendra replied casually. Ginny touched her hair smiling. "Red hair isn't usually a sout after trait," she said with a nervous laugh. "Well, yours is," Nagendra replied with a smile. He turned his blue eyes to her brown ones once more and Ginny felt as if her shoes were sinking into the floor and that she would never be able to move again.

This look was only broken by a cough that was then followed by a "WEASLEY!" Ginny jumped, looking dazedly at the person who had called her name. It was Professor Snape, his eyes narrowed at the two teens. "I suggest you stop bothering my tutee and go enjoy your Saturday," he hissed at Nagendra. "Professor, I assure you he wasn't bothering me," Ginny said quickly as Nagendra gave Professor Snape an odd calculating look. "I disagree, Miss. Weasley for you see you are late for your tutoring session and since it seems to be this boys fault, I am assuming he is bothering you," Professor Snape explained coolly, turning his dark eyes to Ginny. "Leave, Nagendra, or I'll have to jinx you," drawled another familiar voice. "You know I'd love the excuse." At the sight and sound of Draco Malfoy, Nagendra's smirk widened. "Well it seems I've kept you too long," Nagendra said to Ginny, placing his hand on her shoulder. Ginny felt a slight electric shock, brief and momentary. Then, Nagendra was gone. She had not realized she had been looking at the corner he vanished behind until Malfoy snapped, "God weasel, try to pay attention, he left minutes ago," shaking his head in disgust. Ginny glared. "What do you want, Malfoy," she asked. "And where'd Professor Snape go so fast?" "You can call me Professor Malfoy, Weasel," Malfoy replied cockily. "Professor Snape had to go to a meeting with Professor Dumbledore, so I'll be helping you today. He left when you were just staring off into space. Thanking God some boy was willing to touch your shoulder I suppose." Ginny simply glared in reply, wondering why she kept getting stuck with the less appealing of the two pale skinned platinum blondes as she followed Malfoy to the potions room.

"For Petesake, Weasel," came Malfoy's drawl. "Are you done yet?" The sun had long past the half way mark in the sky, so Ginny guessed she'd been in this dingy classroom for at least three hours, working on a potion that should only take an hour. "No, Ferret boy," Ginny snapped annoyed. "Do I look done?" "I'm sure if you thought less about Nagendra and more about potions you'd have finished by now," drawled Malfoy. Ginny sat down defeated, hitting her head with a thunk on the table. "Not like your helping," she added from this new position. "Your just reading Quidditch Weekly." Ginny heard the sound of a chair being pulled back on stone next to her. She looked up to see the blonde Slytherin sitting next to her. "Well," Malfoy asked, raising an eyebrow at what Ginny imagined was a skeptical and wary look. "Are you going to start chopping?"

For another hour Ginny chopped and shredded a number of ingredients, Malfoy working silently beside her. A few times, actual small talk was exchanged. Once, an actual civilized conversation occurred on the disgusting qualities of slugs. Ginny was in shock. A Malfoy and Weasley working together? That was like a mongoose and cobra working together. Like a weasel and ferret together. Actually, a ferret and anything. Ferrets weren't very nice, especially this one next to her. But this ferret and weasel were working fine. Finally, Ginny couldn't stand it anymore. "Why are you helping me, Malfoy," she asked skeptically. "Are you actually making a poison to kill me off?" Malfoy paused in his chopping and gave her an incredulous look. "I'm a Slytherin, so I obviously must be trying to kill you," he asked, annoyance reading in his eyes, even if he face was calm. "Why would I bother poisoning a Weasel any ways? Your filthy enough as it is." Ginny was taken aback by this sudden viciousness but felt her face redden with rage. "Look who's talking, ferret-face," she snapped. "I'd rather be a Weasley then a slimy Malfoy any day." "Who'd rather be stuck with a million filthy siblings and dirty blood," snapped Malfoy, pale cheeks pinkening with anger. "Thank goodness Nagendra has you fooled or you may realize how unappealing you are." "Nagendra is a perfectly nice person," Ginny snapped annoyed that Malfoy kept bringing up this completely unnecessary point. It reminded her of the times he had teased her for her crush on Harry Potter. "Don't be naïve, Weasely. You blood traitors are so stupid," Malfoy snapped. Ginny chopped furiously. She tossed in the mandrake roots and turned to Malfoy, knife still in hand. "Now you listen here, Malfoy," she snapped, pointing at him with the knife. He backed up slowly. "I have half a mind to show you what this filthy blood traitor can do, you well groomed pompous little-" Ginny stopped. Black smoke was tumbling out of the cauldron, releasing a foul smell that made her cough. Then a rumbling began in the cauldron, shaking the whole table. Ginny dropped the knife in her hand and began to back away.

BOOM! As she heard the sound that shook the room, she felt a tug on her waist, pulling her down into darkness. There was a moment silence after the boom. In that time Ginny's mind recounted what had just happened. The potion had exploded and now she was in the dark. She blinked and could feel cold stone beneath her nose. She was obviously on the floor. Had she been pulled away or blown by the potion? She could feel her arm losing feeling because of the weight of her head. And she could feel something around her waist. Another arm? She was fairly sure it was not hers, unless hers had been dislocated. As if in answer, she heard a soft whisper ask, "Are you all right, Ginny?" The darkness was pulled away suddenly with the cloak that had caused it. She looked around confused. The walls were splattered with purple ooze. "Did you," Ginny began. She took a gulp of air and began again. "Was that you?" Malfoy gave her a questioning look, though his cheek looked a tad pinker. There was a hissing sound and the cloak began to disappear where the purple ooze had hit it. "You owe me a cloak, Weas-" Malfoy began, but stopped, falling to the floor with a pained expression and holding his hand, which also sizzled. Ginny rushed forward. "Malfoy, are you all right? Let me see it," she said, pulling out her wand. She muttered something and the hissing stopped, but the cut did not heal. "Are you all right," she asked gently. Malfoy looked at her with an odd look she had never seen before. Not from any Slytherin, family, or enemy. Then in a moment it was gone. "Only you would be stupid enough to put mandrake root into a potion twice in a five minute period," Malfoy snapped. Then with a sweep of his wand and a slam of the door, he was gone, leaving only a spotless dungeon and a very confused Ginny Weasley.

Ginny was baffled for quite some time. Days later she still couldn't understand what had happened. When she overheard Pansy talking about how Malfoy was in the hospital wing the next day, she was tempted to visit, but just as she was about to open the hospital door, Ron and Hermione passed and she let go of the knob as if it had burned her. She told them she was asking Madam Pomfrey a question and was then forced to listen to Ron and Hermione bicker as if they'd been married for years. The day after that, when she tried to see Malfoy, Michael appeared as if by magic and dragged her off to talk. Or rather, listen to him talk about how good it was Ginny had forgiven him and that she had decided to let them have another go. Which was funny because she didn't recall forgiving him at all, and she certainly had no memory of agreeing to have another go. When she said this, Michael put up his hand as if this were a minor detail and continued. This sort of thing happened continually all week, so much so that Ginny wondered if there was a conspiracy about. The conspiracy to never let her discover what deadly parasite had taken over Malfoy's mind and body to make him save her.

And so after a week, still baffled, she had not confronted Malfoy, nor seen him much.

She almost wished he'd appear to get her away from Michael Sturgis, who'd she'd seen a lot lately. More than she ever wanted to. It happened one day that she was sitting stacking cards with Neville when Samantha ran up, knocking the table a tad. Ginny and Neville both held their breath, but luckily no cards exploded. "Samantha," Ginny hissed, eyeing the dangerous card house. Neville had picked up another card and was seeing where to put it. "Sorry," Samantha breathed. She took a few moments to gasp for breath, as if she'd run from who knows where. "I ran," she gasped. "From who knows where. Anyway, Michael is looking for you, again." Ginny cringed, both at the prospect of having to listen to the pest speak and at the unsteady spot where Neville was about to place his card. "He'll be here any moment. I tried to stall him. I did," Samantha gasped, holding the stitch in her side. She and Ginny peered over her shoulder as Michael appeared through the hole in the wall, looking about. "For Petesake. Doesn't he have anyone else to annoy," Ginny moaned as his face brightened at spotting her. There was no way out of this. If she leapt up now and ran, he'd be sure to notice, and there was no passageways that she knew of inside the Gyrffindor tower. No trap door would swallow her. She was utterly trapped. But luckily, just as she thought this, Neville decided on that unsteady spot and not only did the whole four story house collapse, it let out an explosion that set a small fire and released just enough smoke for a screen. So, Ginny fell to the floor like she had last year when eavesdropping on Hermione, Ron, and Harry, and army crawled to the stairs. She was nearly there when she found herself blocked by a pair of legs. "You're a little odd," commented Nagendra, looking down at her. Ginny blushed standing up and brushing herself off as the smoke began to clear. "Sturgis," she explained breathlessly, rushing towards the stairs, hearing Samantha's laugh as she replied "Ginny? I haven't seen Ginny all day. Have you Neville?" "I could have sworn she was here," replied Micheal confused looking around. Ginny looked behind her as she crept up the stairs. The tunnel and her figure were blocked from Micheal's view by Nagendra, who leaned against the entrance.

Ginny sighed, flopping on her bed. She had jumped into her room just as the stairs turned into a slide. Obviously someone of the opposite gender had tried to come up after her. Now, she was sure, Micheal would be waiting for ages for her to come back down. And she'd have to for dinner. Her stomach growled in agreement. In fact, she could go for a snack right now. She licked her lips at the thoughts and rolled over. She'd simply have to distract herself. She stood in front of the mirror and looked herself over for a moment. Ginny remembered Samantha saying that when she was bored she enjoyed trying on all sorts of different outfits. Ginny sighed and found her wand, waving it to go through her outfits. It turned out there were very few, but she did find a nice pair of shorts and shirt. It was missing something however. She frowned in thought and then a thought occurred to her. Rushing over to her trunk, she opened it and beamed at her new accessory. The silver snake twinkled back up at her, slightly off center as if someone had tried, and failed, to conjure it. Carefully she removed the pin and locked the trunk once more. On her shirt, the pin looked stunning. She liked that the ruby nostrils matched her red hair. It seemed for a moment that the emerald eyes glowed a bit brighter. Her stomach growled rebelliously and she checked the time. It was nearly dinner! Ginny beamed and unlocked her window. After feeling under her bed for her broom and cloak, she jumped on the former and quickly fastened the latter. Out she flew, feeling the wind rush past her, her new pin twinkling on her shirt. Beneath the cloak, its emerald eyes still glowed brighter then they had in the trunk.


	2. Chapter 2: Dragon Vision

Chapter 2: Dragon Vision

Unknown to Ginny, at the exact moment she found the pin on the cloak, Draco Malfoy was sitting in the Slytherin common room reading his Quidditch magazine; or pretending to. He was actually trying to get Pansy Parkinson to go away so he could continue his previous conversation with Blaise; about some Samantha girl in Gryffindor who Blaise had eye sex with every morning. Draco didn't honestly care about either conversation but at least the latter was about a girl and not about his opinion of Pansy's new eyelash curler. As if he noticed how much more bounce her eyelashes had. He had more important things to worry about, like how he could get his pin and cloak back from that Weasley girl. His father would be very very upset if he got wind that cloak and pin where gone. Draco thought Lucious would just explode with fury if he knew Draco had left it with a Weasley. Then he'd come back together and explode again when he found out a Weasley had it because he, Draco, had saved her. Although, saved is such a strong word. Really he'd only helped out a bit. Why she'd been in the forest in the first place was beyond him didn't she know it was past her bedtime? What was worse was that he had now "helped" her more then once. Draco looked at his hand, now clear from any scar or burning. He frowned in thought. In the dungeon, he had heard the hissing of the cauldron and had known what was to come next, the explosion. But he hadn't expected that he would reach out and grab Ginny Weasley by the waist and pull her away from the cauldron and under his cloak for protection. The cloak was specifically for potions, made of especially thick material, but that hadn't stopped the acid like solution from eating through it to his hand. Then it had started eating at his hand! Draco shook his head annoyed. That Ginny Weasley was like every Gryffindor, and yet he couldn't shake that moment under the cloak where they had been so close to one another that the question of her wellbeing had slipped out as if natural. Even worse was the way he had not been able to break her gaze in the Great Hall, her hazel eyes meeting his grey ones. There had been some sort of fire leaping behind them, as if laughing…

Suddenly he was flying, breeze blowing his long hair behind him, dropping down, down towards the ground. Panic was surrounding him, and yet at the same time, everything around him seemed safe. As if whatever force pulled him down was not going to let him fall. An inch before the ground met his face, he was pulled straight and he leaned forward without meaning to. He zoomed across the grass, his arm waving at a few people who he passed, despite the fact that he made no conscious effort to move any of his appendages. Did that boy have a Hufflepuff badge? Disgusting. Since when did he wave at Hufflepuffs? He sighed at himself. He must be dreaming somehow. He felt his head turn and he waved at a familiar figure. Nagendra. Draco frowned to himself in disgust. This must be a dream. He would never in a million year wave at Nagendra, that tricky prick. He didn't trust him as far as he could throw him, and that wasn't very far. Yet at the return of the wave, the bubble of safety Draco felt seemed to warm, as one's cheeks did with a blush. Well, if this was his dream, he'd just have to wake up. After all, he had decided a way to get back that pin. Draco concentrated on his dream self, sitting on the broom, and felt his arms and legs materialize, stretching to expand the warm safety bubble to encompass all of his ligaments. He lifted his right hand and moved the fingers in front of his eyes. They wiggled with red painted nails. He wondered momentarily why his nails were painted in his dream, but shrugged it off and put it back on the broom. Then, he put all his weight forward so the broom caught on the grass and he went tumbling.

"Drakey!" Draco opened his eyes to see Pansy over him. "Where you listening at all?" "No," Draco replied jumping up, looking around to see the Slytherin common room again. "I guess I dozed off." He rubbed his back. Funny, he'd never hurt after a dream before. "Drakey! Your hurt!" Draco turned annoyed. But Pansy held a mirror to show a cut on his face. It was gathering blood suddenly. This was very strange. "I have to go," he muttered. "But, Drakey," Pansy whined. "It's dinner." Draco paused in his haste and looked at her, seeing right through her. "Yes, that will be a good place to start," he said quietly to himself. Pansy gave him a weird look, but he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the common room. "Where are we going, Drakey," she cooed, fluttering her eyelashes. "I'm going to dinner, twit," he snapped rushing off.

When he burst through the doors of the Great Hall, Draco saw most people were already filing in and finding spots, waving at friends and laughing at witty comments being made. Blaise waved him over and he sat, still scanning the room for red hair. For a moment he thought he'd found her, but it had only been her twit brother. "Who are you looking for with such interest," Blaise teased, looking quickly at the blonde girl G-Weasel usually hung around and back at Draco. "I'm looking for that long haired weasel," Draco hissed. Blaise's face broke into a grin. "No offense mate, but she's not really in our league is she?" Draco turned to him annoyed. "What do you mean, not in my league?" "Well," Blaise said delicately. "On the one hand, she is a Weasley, so clearly different leagues there." "You saying a Weasley is to good for me," Draco asked coldly. "No, no. I'm saying in that sense she's below you," Blaise told him. "But on the other hand... I mean look at her." Blaise pointed. Draco turned to look at the doors where Ginny stood, long red hair cascading down her back, a bit out of place. She seemed to be trying to catch her breath. Draco couldn't see her nails, but he could see the broom in her hands. He let out an annoyed sound. How was he going to get close enough to see if she was wearing his pin and get it back, without scarring his name? "See what I mean, mate," Blaise asked. "That hot is a new league." "You're an idiot, Blaise," Draco snapped. "Besides," Blaise continued. "That new kid is making his moves." Draco looked up to see Nagendra talking to the redhead, seeming to ask if she were okay and what had happened. The red head looked sheepishly explaining, a slight pink on her cheeks. Draco made a look of disgust at the two of them, quickly fixing is face to a neutral expression before Blaise noticed. He wished he could go over and punch that Nagendra. If only Weasel knew what he knew about the prick. He wasn't anything like she thought. "You see, you may be the most desirable Slytherin, but that Gryffindor is way out of that league," Blaise continued, not noticing any of the emotions that passed Draco's face. But then it occurred to him. Blaise and the whole Slytherin would never look down on Draco for saving his honor as the most desirable Slytherin. Draco turned slowly to Blaise again, smirk tugging his face. "How confident are you on this statement you've made?" Blaise looked at him for a moment, trying to read his expression before a smile broke across his face. "I'd say twenty galleons confident." "Make it fifty and you have a bet," Draco drawled. "After all, if I'm going to demean myself by publicly going after a weasel, I'd better be compensated for it." Blaise beamed and stuck out his hand and Draco took it. The pin was as good as returned. "And, maybe you can deck that Nagendra as well," said a small voice in Draco's mind. But he shook his head and focused his eyes on the two figures that now moved to sit next to the blonde girl Blaise always flirted with at the Gryffindor table.

"But Drakey, you promised," whined Pansy. Draco rolled his eyes. " I did no such thing. Now leave me be," Draco snapped. She seemed to be under the impression that he, Draco, had promised to take her to Hogsmeade this weekend. Which was absurd because he didn't much fancy Hogsmeade. Not when he had spent a week trying to decide how to get close enough to that Weasley girl to see if she was wearing his pin. She couldn't make it easy by wearing it on her outer cloak, no, no. She had to hide it. If it was even on her at all. But if it wasn't he couldn't explain that strange broom crash and his cut that still stood on his face, a bit healed. Turned out that phantom cuts couldn't be healed by magic, but at least the ladies love it. "I have homework to do," Draco hissed, standing and walking out of the common room and into the cold dungeon. He wished he hadn't almost immediately though because the winter winds blew past him and he shivered. "Please," Pansy began, but Draco was half way down the hall by the time she finished.

He tried to think of a warm place to go. But Slytherins aren't known for hanging around warm cozy places, and so he was drawing blanks when a familiar laugh rang through the hallway. Without thinking it over, Draco found himself hiding behind a suit of armor. "So I said if you want my hand in marriage, you'll have to kiss the squid, and do you know what he did?" It was the voice of that blonde girl who hung around with Weasley. "He snogged the squid of course," Weasely's voice answered, laughing again. "No! He said he'd marry the squid if I didn't comply!" They burst into laughter and Draco hoped that there was some inside joke he'd missed. Honestly, Gryffindors had the stupidest sense of humor. He then realized he was sitting, crouched behind a suit of armor and stepped out of the shadows, dusting himself off as the blonde girl gave a shriek of surprise. "For petessake, woman," he drawled. "I know I'm good looking, but must you greet me like that?" "Beat it, Malfoy," snapped Weaselette. "We are having a perfectly pleasant time." Draco scanned her clothes quickly, not seeing anything except the sly look of the blonde; as if he had done something gossip worthy. "Where are you two headed off to," he asked. Weaselette rolled her eyes, but that sly blonde friend replied, "Actually, we were thinking of building a snow man. Want to join?" Red hair went flying in a circle as Weaselette nearly got whiplash looking at her friend. And she almost got another case when Draco replied, "I suppose."

At first, Draco had thought Gryffindors were just stupid in their sense of humor, but now he knew that they were just plain stupid. Why else would two fully functioning and otherwise normal looking witches be outside in the cold? Draco could only think of one reason: insanity. He stood shivering a few feet away from the two girls building a snowman, giggling and throwing him questioning looks. In response to these looks he would nod or smirk at Weasley, while scowling at her blonde friend, Samantha (he hadn't caught her last name and so was forced into civility). That girl would not leave; then again, he wasn't sure how he would go about this checking for a pin anyway. He supposed he'd have to get closer and see. The red head had clean nails, but since the phantom cut had occurred a week ago, he couldn't guarantee that that was evidence she hadn't been wearing nail polish. A gust of especially cold wind passed him, breaking his train of thought. Draco looked around to find that he was now alone in the cold, a snowman with a Slytheirn scarf smiling at him, a smirk evident on its snowy face. Draco touched his now bare neck. So maybe Gryffindors weren't all stupid. But, now he had to find those girls. Draco let out an actual smile since no one was around to witness it. In his mind, he could see the hazel questioning eyes of Ginny Weasley, and saw sun fall across her scarlet hair and-

Then he was hiding behind a tree, looking around curiously over his shoulder. Sitting just under his chin, in view of his peripheral vision, was a stream of scarlet hair. He felt a moment of confusion that felt as if it was around him rather then within him. Looking around he saw the blonde girl was gone, and he understood the confusion. Closing his eyes he concentrated as hard as possible and felt, once again, his arms and legs elongate as if he were mentally stretching out into this new body. He then moved the head up awkwardly and to the side, looking around to see trees, trees, and, ah-ha! The hut of that oaf, Hagrid! He concentrated again, trying to shrink back into and out of this odd situation. Nothing happened. He felt annoyance growing and sighed. Apparently there was only one way to get back into his own body, and he was in too much of a rush to find another way. Turning, he faced a tree, pushing the scarlet hair from his view to focus. He ran his new body head first into the tree.

Falling back onto the snow, he rubbed his head, feeling a bump. "Bloody hell," he yelped. Rubbing his head and letting out a moan, eyes closed. "Malfoy?" Draco mentally cursed himself. He had hoped no one would ever see him in such a state as this, rolling in the snow, moaning and holding his head. Especially not a pretty girl. At least she was a Weasley. He opened an eye and squinted at her. "Yes," he asked. He'd hoped for a drawl, but it came out more like a whimper. "Are you all right?" Weasley tilted her head curiously. "I'm perfectly perfect," he snapped. "Fine," Weasley replied curtly, obviously offended by his tone. "No need to be mean." Draco frowned, looking at the clothes under her cloak he could see. He saw no pin. Perhaps it was under her cloak where he couldn't see? She was turning away. He'd have to act fast. Before he could stop himself, he had reached for her hand and pulled her into a large snow pile. "W-w-what," she spluttered confused. "Witty, Weasley," he smirked. "It's good to see your so-" but before he could finish he found himself pulled into the pile as well. Then, to top it off, he had snow covering him to the point that he could barely move. Draco jumped up as snow slid into his shirt making him yelp and Weasley laugh. "I'll be going now, Malfoy," she giggled. "Not so fast," Draco said and with a great effort, he pushed himself from the snow and tackled her. They wrestled for a moment until Draco sat on top of Weasley triumphantly. "Malfoy, get off me," she snapped, her annoyed voice ruined by her laugh. "No, I don't think I will, Weasley." he replied. She looked up at him. "Why not," she asked. "Well, you have to do something for me," he told her, pretending to inspect his nails, but looking at her sideways. During the struggle, her cloak's fasten had snapped and so her whole scarlet sweater was revealed. No pin shone on it. Draco felt a moment of disappointment, which he quickly pushed aside. "Like what" she asked cautiously. "Say my first name." The question took him by as much surprise as it seemed to take her. "And you'll get off me," she asked. "I suppose, though don't pretend you don't like all my attention," he told her nonchalantly. She rolled her eyes. Then, in the sweetest voice Draco had ever heard she said, "Draco, will you please get off me? I'm cold." Draco sat on her a moment longer simply from the shock of what had just occurred. His name had been spoken but it was almost like it wasn't his name at all. It had sounded, so sweet, so nice. It had not been hissed or cooed or giggled or demanded. It had been smiled and coated in the perfect amount of sugar. He stood as Weasley got up. "Here," he muttered, annoyed by the heat on his cheeks. He hoped it was countered by the cold around him. He waved his wand and the fasten fixed itself. She smiled, cheeks rosy from the cold or a blush. They stood there for a moment, both looking at one another. "Draco," she said timidly. "Thanks for saving me from that potion." "It was-er-," he stuttered. He was being incredibly unsuave. It annoyed him quite a bit, actually. He mentally collected himself for a second and then began again. "It was no problem," he paused. "Ginny." They looked at each other for a moment, measuring one another. Draco wondered if she felt as confused as he was: as if, at this moment, part of his Malfoy self hated her Weasley-ness, and yet the other part wanted to reach out and take her hand. Maybe it was just in his mind. "Ginny, you look cold." Both teens turned to see Nagendra, bundled up and peering at them, a strange look on his face. Draco narrowed his eyes suspiciously, Nagendra's look was calculating, as if he were reworking something in his mind. "Oh I was just about to head in," Ginny said kindly, turning to Nagendra briefly, but seeming also to speak to Draco. "I'll escort you," Nagendra volunteered casually. "I'm headed that way as it is." Ginny smiled with a shrug, looking once more at Draco, as if asking his permission, perhaps excusing herself. Draco shrugged, face pulled back into his neutral expression. She turned with a final, less sure smile, walking ahead as Nagendra paused momentarily, looking at Draco. His blue eyes narrowed before he turned and rushed to catch up with Ginny, leaving Draco standing in the snow, wondering what the look had meant.

He frowned. As Draco walked back towards the common room, he had a lot to wonder about: what Nagendra's look had meant, what had come over him to think of using her first name simply because she had used his (once in fulfilling a bribe and once in thanks), and where was that pin?


	3. Dragons are a girl's best friend

"One second, I've got to tie my shoe," Nagendra said smiling gently at Ginny. Ginny looked back and watched as Malfoy walked away, shivering every so often from the cold. He had taken his scarf back from the snowman. Ginny frowned in concentration. She wondered what had just happened in the world that allowed a Weasley and a Malfoy to play in the snow, together. She supposed the together part was the important factor. Was the world coming to an end? "Hey Gin?" She turned and smiled at the platinum haired Nagendra as he stood. "I think Harry wants to talk to you," Nagendra said with a smile motioning over to the boy who approached, raven hair blowing in a gust of icy wind. "I'll catch you later," he offered kindly. "It seems to be important." Ginny nodded. "Oh Ginny," Nagendra added quickly as she paused looking at him. He reached out his wand and pushed a few stray hairs from her forehead, making her forehead oddly warm for a moment. She blushed, unsure of the attention. "Sorry," Nagendra apologized before turning and walking back into the castle without another word.

"What's going on, Harry," Ginny asked as the raven hair teen approached. "Where are Ron and Hermione?" Harry shrugged and shook his head with an exasperated, knowing look. "Who knows." Ginny laughed, knowing that both she and Harry knew that Hermione and Ron were likely arguing away in some private area, just moments away from realizing their inevitable couple-dom. "Where are you off to," he asked as she fastened her cloak again, concentrating on the fasten that would not stay. "I'm not sure. I've built a snowman, though he's rather naked," she replied, finally getting the fasten to stay. She motioned to her small snowman as she asked, "How about you?" "I was going to get hot chocolate at Hagrid's," Harry replied, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Want to join?" She shrugged and began following him towards the hut, feeling as if she were missing something essential. She stopped and felt in her pockets, feeling her wand and some spare change. What was it? "You all right, Ginny," Harry asked concerned. "Yes, I just can't remember what I'm missing," she said thoughtfully. "Ginny, Ginny, Ginny," she muttered, tapping her finger to her head. Then it hit her! The pin! It must have fallen off somewhere between hiding from Dr-Malfoy and wrestling. "I'll meet you at Hagrid's, Harry," Ginny said, running off to her hiding spot.

Ginny searched for a good ten minutes before she saw the snake pin shining cheerfully up at her. She lifted it up, looking carefully at it to make sure it was not smudged or scratched. It shone just as brightly as always. The emeralds seemed to wink at her. She was about to pin it back on when she noticed something about the tree in front of her. Putting the pin in her pocket, she looked more closely. It seemed to have a strange dent in the bark. Not very deep, but noticeable on the surface. She wondered if that had been there before. She wasn't sure where the thought came from, but the curve seemed almost as if someone had run into it; perhaps headfirst. Instinctively, she felt her head, but there was no lump or blood on it. Now that she was thinking about it, she seemed to be having a memory blank. She recalled that one moment she had been looking around for Samantha, but then it had been as if another feeling deep, deep inside had filled her and then, she had been facing the tree from the ground, shaking her head as if something had just happened that she'd missed. She hadn't thought about it because she'd heard Malfoy's cries and gone to see if he was all right. Now that she thought about it, she felt there was a good five minutes missing from this memory. But she was probably just batty after what had happened with Malfoy...or Draco? She wasn't really sure which at this point. If only calling people by their middle names was a symbol of better friendship but not civility. Some kind of common understanding. Well she'd try to figure all that out later because right now, she had to go get some hot chocolate with Harry and Hagrid.

Ginny reached the door in no time, straightening herself out so that it didn't look like she had just searched the ground for a pin. Inside she could hear the sound of talking, softer then Hagrid's usual boom, as if discussing something secret. When she knocked on the door, there was a moment of silence. Then, Hagrid appeared, beaming at her. "'Ello, Ginny!" He roared, scooping her up in a hug before placing her down inside the warm house. "'Arry said you'd be comin'. Made you some nice coco." "Thanks," she said smiling as she took a seat next to Harry, relishing the heat that came from the cup in front of her. There was another moment silence as Ginny looked up from her cup. "What were you two talking about before I came? I heard the mumbling outside," Ginny asked suspiciously. Both Harry and Hagrid looked as if they were watching her. They looked as if they suspected something that she was involved in, but did not know for sure, or to what extent. For a moment, Ginny wondered if Harry had seen her exchange with Malfoy, then she mentally shook herself. Why would that have mattered anyway? That exchange had been a fluke, there was nothing to worry about. Surely Harry and Hagrid had more important things to discuss then her strange encounters with a Ferret. "Oh, we was just joking around, talking business," Hagrid said, jumping up a bit quicker then he normally would. Hagrid moved to the cabinets where he pulled out a giant cup for himself and poured hot chocolate into it, stirring. Harry looked at Hagrid exasperated at his friend's inability to lie, before turning to Ginny and giving her a look that confirmed that she was their topic. "Just be careful, all right, Ginny," Harry said finally, making Hagrid knock over his cup. Hagrid cursed, looking at Harry as if Harry were revealing something top secret. Harry waved him away as he continued, "practically you're whole family is in the order and you have already been partly possesed by Tom Riddle. We're just worried because I keep getting these faint feelings…" Harry paused and Ginny tilted her head confused. "Yer just an easy target to be bait," Hagrid said, patting her back lightly. "But yer brother, Hermione, and Harry won't let them deatheaters get you. Ye know too much for us to let them take you." Ginny looked at Hagrid with a smile as Fangs barked outside. "Blasted dog! What now," roared Hagrid, stomping to the door and throwing the door open to see what was wrong. His giant body moved outside and began to close the door. Once the door closed, Ginny turned to Harry. "There is more," Ginny stated. Harry sighed with a half smile. "There is always more, isn't there?" Ginny nodded. "I don't know what it is though, Ginny. I just know that there is a plan and you're in it, somehow…" Harry seemed to be struggling in his memory. "I don't know how, or why. I just don't know." Harry sighed as Hagrid opened the door again and Fang came rushing towards their table. "I'm sure it'll be fine," Ginny said smiling, feeling the silver pin in her pocket. It seemed to reassure her somehow.

"Ginny?" There was another knock on the door to which Ginny didn't answer. "I'm going to breakfast, love. Are you going to be all right?" Samantha's voice sounded worried through the door. Ginny nodded, then realized Samantha couldn't see her head movement, and said, "Yes. I'm fine." She was happy her voice didn't crack. She had been in this bathroom for nearly two hours now. She felt terribly silly, really. Yet despite what she told herself, she could not stop crying. She had had a dream, so realistic that it was as if it were a real memory.

_Ginny stood in a dark room, with no lights except the one shining on her. She had called out, asking if anyone was around. In answer, a prickling began at her neck and raced down her spine inspiring fear. Turning, she spotted the source. He was smirking at her. Tom Riddle leaned against a pole or tree of some sort, out in the shadows. He stepped forward as she stepped back. "Long time no see, Gin," He'd said, the same old suave voice, a superficial comforting tone but now with a bit of mirth. He had a confidence that disgusted Ginny and yet, was oddly attractive. That disgusted Ginny even more. Tom's smirk widened as if understanding her thoughts. "It's been a while, love," he sighed. "Did you miss me?" Ginny let out a scoff that barely left her throat. "Never?" Tom asked, giving Ginny a sad face that was ruined by his twinkling eyes. Ginny didn't understand how someone with such pitiless, dark eyes could twinkle, but they did. "But I've missed you so very much. You've always been so useful to me." Tom was suddenly right next to her, cold hands around her arms. Ginny bit her lip in surprise, or perhaps it was to shake herself from a sudden flutter in her stomach. Tom's smirk widened. "Always knew you had a thing for me, Gin." Ginny felt dream blood on her lips. Or was it real blood? She couldn't tell. "Thing was," Tom hissed next to her ear, sending a warm shiver through her veins. "I thought I was the only villain you fancied. Didn't know you liked others like me." Ginny looked up confused into his brown eyes. "I figured you liked me because no matter what anyone said, deep down, I was the first person to understand you and really show any interest in you at all. The youngest Weasley, before she grew out of her annoying twit stage." The mocking tone in Tom's voice was infuriating. "Here I thought you had a thing for Harry Potter and the good guys." _

_ "What are you talking about," Ginny snarled, trying with all her might to push Tom away. To get his smell, his vile intoxicating smell away from her. His smile broadened. "But, you don't know?" A figure was pushed out of the shadows, light falling on him, yet no features showed but his dark robe, lined with emerald. His hood pulled so far over his face that only shadow remained. His body seemed crumbled and broken, as if he had been through too much in a short amount of time. "Who is that," Ginny asked, panic filling her. "What have you done, Tom?!" Tom's smirk increased into a beaming smile, his dark eyes dancing with malicious laughter. "Me? I've done nothing." Ginny felt confused as Tom stepped back. She felt something warm and wet on her hands and Tom released her arms. "This one, Gin my love," Tom smiled, walking back to the crumbled boy. "Is all your doing. And without my diary at all." Ginny looked down to see thick red liquid dripping from her hands, as if she had dipped her hands into a pool of the blood. She looked up, horror stricken. "I haven't done anything," She shouted. "I haven't!" Tom beamed. The room was suddenly full of hooded figures. They stood in shadows but she could see one stood closer to the circle then any other, his wand pointed at the crumbled figure, as if a precaution. Ginny felt a familiarity between him and herself, but who was he? "Not yet, love. But, lets be honest. Your little crush on me can only manifest into disaster. You've never really been able to get rid of me completely have you?" His long sharp fingers were grabbing the figures hood, ready to pull it off. "To be fair, it isn't all your fault. I admit I knew that he would suffer the worst agony to get what I needed from you. After all, you know how much I love your hopelessness, your heartbreak. It fed me in the diary and it feeds me now. And it will feed me even more soon, more then you, or Potter, or anyone knows." Ginny was confused; her head was starting to ache and her chest. She had not felt this way in a long time. Not since her first year at Hogwarts. But this was different. She had never dreamed of Tom, had never seen him speaking to her with such malice. He was like a separate entity in her dream that she could not control. Tom's malicious smile was so wide now that it seemed like it would crack his face in two. "Do you want to see who you have hurt? Who it is who will enable me to continue to grow? Or will you wake up for fear of learning the truth?" _

And then Tom had pulled back the hood and Ginny was falling through the shadows into her bed, where she had jumped up, run to the bathroom and thrown up everything in her stomach. After that she had collapsed on the floor where she had remained for two hours. It was this same position she was in now. She felt terribly stupid. All over a dream and one that she hadn't even seen the face of the hooded person. Yet, there was something about the familiar figure, the unknown crumbled figure whose blood was on her hands, which made her especially uneasy. Ginny was sure she had had the dream because of her talk with Harry and Hagrid the day before. Still, she knew she couldn't face the Great Hall and all those laughing faces. She especially couldn't bare having to explain her red eyes to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who would make it their personal business. And to the rest of the peering Great Hall. She could just imagine the delight of the Slytherins. In her mind's eye she saw them laughing and eating. But then her minds eye stopped on Draco Malfoy, who was the only one not getting a laugh from her misery. He didn't even smirk. He simply looked straight ahead, straight at her, as he had that one snowy day. And in her mind's eye she saw those steel gray eyes that she had been wrestling with in the snow, filled with some kind of emotion she couldn't figure out. She saw Pansy cooing into his ear, and his raised eyebrow as if to ask if Ginny could believe what he had to go through. And she felt warmth on her cheek as she thought of him saying, "All cried out over Potter, Ginny?" Even though it was really an insult, her first name sounded so sweet. It wasn't drawled. Just liked it hadn't been drawled in the dungeon or in the snow. It was….

Ginny suddenly found herself in the Great Hall. She tried to turn her head, to look around, but her vision did not move. Her head stayed the same. An arm she did not command moved a strand of blonde from her eyes. Around her sat a group of teens: Slytherins, Pansy closest, running her hand along Ginny' biceps. Biceps? Ginny felt cramped in this immoveable area. She felt as if she were looking out of a bubble through eyes that she couldn't control. She wanted to stretch. So she pushed her legs and arms out, stretching them until it felt as if she were in her own space, not trapped inside her head. She moved her fingers and felt the hand that had pushed the strand of blonde from her face move. She moved the arm in front of her vision, using the hand to push a strand of blonde hair form her face again. Blonde? Pansy cooed something to "Drakey," in her ear. Ginny felt a disgust surround her. And panic filled her. The disgusted feeling changed into something Ginny didn't know. But it seemed to close in on her space. Ginny felt herself shrinking, as if something was trying it's hardest to push her out of the bubble. Ginny just wanted to be back in the Gryffindor bathroom. She pictured it as best she could: the toilet, the sink, and the mirror. But when she opened her eyes, she was merely met with Crabbe staring at her oddly, asking why her eyes had been closed for so long. She looked around worriedly. A few other Slytherins were looking at her as if she were acting odd. She had to leave. Hurriedly, she tried to stand, but caught her foot on the bench and fell backwards. It was a much longer fall then her height should have allowed. Finally, she hit the floor and a shot of pain ran up her elbow. When she opened her eyes, she was in the bathroom again, elbow throbbing.

Ginny stood, shaking, and looked at the mirror. She wasn't sure her sanity could take any more weird incidents in the next three hours. Rolling up her sleeve, she saw a bruise forming where she'd fallen on it in the Great Hall. Or someone had fallen. Had it been her? Why had she been blonde and called Drakey? How had she gotten there and back? Ginny bit her lip. There was a loud and abrupt knock on the door. She jumped; biting even harder onto her lip and making it bleed a bit. "I'm almost out, Samantha," she said shakily. "Open up, Gi-" a familiar voice began. "Weasley," it corrected itself. It wasn't Samantha. Ginny looked at the door, confused at the voice. "Are you clothed? I'm coming in," the voice replied to the silence in a less demanding tone. The tone was almost gentle. Ginny opened her mouth to protest, but tears were already welling in her eyes again as she looked once more at the mirror and the dream flashed into her mind, followed quickly by what had just occurred. She didn't have the energy to protest. She took a step towards the door, wiping her eyes. But she stopped when she heard the sounds of footsteps. "I have to go, Ginny." Hissed the voice, still holding the gentleness it had held when asking if she were all right after the potion explosion. Ginny felt a rush of energy come into her as she moved towards the door. This person was the only one who could explain what had happened. Not the dream, but that was just a dream. This out of body experience had happened in reality and she needed to know what had caused it. Ginny rushed to the door and threw it open, but came face to face with Samantha, who beamed and handed her a bagel. Besides the two girls and the breeze drifting through the open window, there was no one in the room. Especially no Draco Malfoy.

A week passed, and then another. The weather warmed and soon spring was on its way. During warmer nights, Ginny sometimes liked to walk around outside, after curfew. Sometimes Nagendra joined her, sometimes he didn't. Her brother protested either way. On one hand, she would be walking with a boy (scandal), on the other she was walking alone. Luckily, he was busy with some dream team business tonight. She wasn't sure what, but she always remembered to be on her toes. Who knew when Ron would pop out of a bush yelling at her for being outside, afraid she was hiding some boy. Tonight she fancied visiting the lake. Standing on the edge of it, she took off her shoes and socks and put the tip of her toe in testing the water. She paused, toe just above the water as she heard voices near by. "Drakey, I know! I see the way you look." "What are you on about Pansy?" Ginny felt her heart beat quicken. She was suddenly glad Nagendra had not been able to come. She shook her head annoyed at herself. It was not that she had been avoiding Malfoy, it was simply that she had not gone out of her way to see him. She had decided that to see him would either lead to asking him about their winter day, or asking about the moment in the Great Hall when she had been him, or at least inside his mind. Both were conversations she did not wish to have. "I mean, you don't look at me like you used to," Pansy whined. Ginny rolled her eyes, leaning against the tree she had been passing. She tried not to breathe for fear of being heard. " And how did I use to look at you," Draco Malfoy's voice asked. It was followed by the sound of three skips of a stone on the lake. "Like you thought I was pretty," Pansy whined. "Don't you think I'm pretty?" "For petesake, woman," Draco drawled. "Drakey!" Pansy whined, stomping her foot as another stone skipped on the water, this time four skips. "Is there someone else?" "Where is this illusion that I actually like your company coming from, Pansy?" Draco snapped. Ginny had never heard such viciousness in his voice, even when addressing Harry. "And why must you insist on talking about it every day? Can't I have a moment's peace?" There was a second of silence before Pansy let out a wail and practically screeched, "Draco Malfoy, I will never forgive you, you beast!" The sound of retreating footsteps left Ginny to feel that she and Draco Malfoy were abruptly alone at the lake, separated by only a tree.

"That didn't sound very pleasant, did it?" Ginny jumped a bit at the voice addressing her. The viciousness had evaporated, leaving a tired tone. Too tired for even a drawl. Perhaps he was talking to himself, she thought, pressing herself against the tree as if this would make her disappear. "I know your there, you may as well come out." Ginny blushed, hanging by a branch as she swung herself to peer around the tree. "It was a bit mean," she conceded. Draco Malfoy looked up at her from his sitting position, a smirk on his face. "She seems to bring out my bad side," he replied, standing. "Oh? But you two seem so," Ginny paused trying to think of a good word. "Happy?" "Of course," Malfoy scoffed. Ginny wondered if she could still consider him Malfoy. After all, if you've been inside someone's mind, doesn't it require your civility move to first name basis? She shook her head, hating this sudden random thought. "The happiest nonexistent couple," Malfoy continued, looking at her oddly as if he had noticed her headshake. "Your not a couple," Ginny asked, curiously tilting her head to the side, her hair falling off her shoulder. She wondered in the next moment why she had even asked, as if it mattered at all. She wondered if she was filling space to avoid the conversations she dreaded sat above them. Whatever she was doing, it was bothering her. "Nope. Well," Malfoy corrected himself as he skipped another rock; this time only two skips. "I never consented any ways." Ginny let out a small laugh. "Why go along with it?" "Well, it does look good and all," he replied. "You know your holding the stone wrong," Ginny said, as Malfoy got ready to skip another rock. "What's that," he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Your holding it wrong," Ginny repeated. "You think you can do better than a Malfoy," he asked, stepping forward to hand her the stone. "Lets see it then." Ginny began to move around the tree towards the side Malfoy stood on, using the branch to balance herself. As she reached for the stone, her footing slipped. Just as her foot slid into the chilled water, she felt hands around her elbows pulling her up. "It doesn't count if you fall in, Ginny." Ginny smiled, annoyed at herself for the blush that crept onto her cheek. She was relieved it was too dark to see it. The blush increased further as she thought to herself, "I suppose I can call him Draco now." She got her footing once again, shaking her head at this thought.

"Your suppose to hold it like this," Ginny said, holding the flat stone between her thumb and index finger, index finger on the outline of the stone. Draco stepped closer to see and as he did, Ginny glanced down to see the moss he was about to step on. As she opened her mouth to warn him, she simultaneously grabbed his cloak to pull him away from it. Before any words left her mouth, he had stepped on it and was falling sideways, grabbing her arm for help, but instead pulling her into the lake with him. The lake was much colder then her toe had revealed.

Ginny opened her eyes in the dark water, and looked around. There was nothing but black around her. Then there was a burst of light revealing Draco a few feet away, holding a now lit wand. He looked fairly comical with his cheeks all puffed with air, blonde hair drifting back and forth in the water. He motioned to her silently, tempting her to come closer into the light. Little bubbles appeared with his movement. She smiled; imagining how she looked with her puffed cheeks and waving hair, but made no movement forward. Draco reached out, clasping her arm and pulling her into the light, which blinded her for a moment as she kicked towards the surface. The light disappeared and when Ginny reached the surface, she found Draco next to her, gasping for breath. "Way to go," he snapped. "What," Ginny asked, a small laugh ruining her fake annoyance. "That was all your fault. I thought Malfoy's were suppose to be graceful." "I think it's that Malfoy's are suave, actually," Draco corrected. "Oh, of course," Ginny replied with a roll of her eyes. "And that move definitely said suave. You're a regular James Bond" "I've been more suave, true," Draco shot back, gray eyes narrowing. "Sure you have," Ginny said splashing Draco. "When was that?"

There was a long moment of silence, only interrupted by the soft sound of water hitting the shore. Ginny teeth began to chatter as she realized that one part of her arm was still warm, a part that Draco had not released. She looked up from the arm as it began to pull her closer to the now blue-lipped blonde. He smirked at her with unsure eyes. His teeth were also chattering, but he seemed to be trying to stop them. Ginny's leg hit his as she tried to stay afloat. She looked at his gray eyes, which searched her face questioningly. "Sorry, Draco," she said softly. She didn't know why she was whispering, or apologizing, but all of a sudden she felt the world was very quiet. She felt that to break that quiet would be the ultimate insult that could only be met with disaster. Ginny felt Malfoy's other hand move into her long hair, getting caught momentarily. His smirk faltered as he tried half heartedly to untangle it. She felt the body next to her move closer, making ripples move about her. Around them there was the sound of footsteps and the chattering of louder voices. One of the voices called out, "Bloody hell, Ginny! Is that you?"

Ginny looked suddenly at the shore where wand light flashed. "Who's that," Ginny asked blinking. A bit out of sync with the world she'd been tossed back into. "What are you doing?" It was the dream team, and the commanding, questioning voice was her brother, Ron Weasley. He pulled back the wand enough to reveal Hermione, Harry, and himself. "What are you doing," Ron demanded, as Ginny looked about her for a moment, seeing no one. She was alone in the lake. "Come out this instant, mum will be furious if you get sick," Ron bellowed, his face turning red. "I fell in when I was skipping stones, I couldn't help it," Ginny snapped, teeth chattering as she moved forward, but she was stopped by a tug on her hair. She let out a yelp and smiled at the three teens staring at her. "I'm caught on something," she said embarrassed as Ron rolled his eyes and Hermione raised an eyebrow skeptically. Ginny took a deep breath and went under water, seeing Draco's patient face looking at her through a bubble. Apparently, before they'd been interrupted, he'd whispered the bubble charm. He gave her a shrug as he tried to pull his hand from her hair to show it was quite stuck. She frowned at his amused face. Draco motioned to his finger. Her hair was caught on a ring. He motioned to it and then to her, then back to himself and she nodded. Then, he pulled the silver ring from his hand and handed it to her, hair still tangled up in it. Just then, Ginny felt a tug on her arm and was pulled by an invisible force from the water. Hermione looked down at her, putting her wand away as Harry helped her up and Ron began on a tirade. "Do you know what time it is?" "Ron, she's freezing already, lets save it," Harry suggested, muttering a drying spell and then a warming charm. Ginny smiled at him, still working on the ring in her hair as they walked. Hermione was the only person who looked back at the lake, narrowing her eyes as if trying to see something that wasn't there. At least, not above water.

"So then I thought to myself, why not ask Gin to come. After all, she is beautiful and in love with you." Ginny nodded absent-mindedly at the voice of Michael the next day at breakfast. He had been talking for quite some time, which had given Ginny a good amount of time to ponder on her own thoughts. Earlier that day, Samantha had woken Ginny to declare that she had been searching for her "for hours" the night before. According to the chipper morning girl, the reason for this search was that Samantha had come across vidal information about her Knight. "I was looking up names," Samantha had begun to Ginny's confused look. "Don't ask why," Samantha answered the look. "Anyway, I came across Nagendra and guess what? It means snake or lord of the snakes! The pin! It must be his!" Ginny had felt an odd moment of both exhilaration and disappointment. Perhaps it was her tired state. Samantha, seeming to sense the feelings frowned. "Aren't you excited? It's Nagendra! The beautiful blue eyed blonde…" "I'm intrigued," Ginny assured her friend, I'm just tired. Let me wake up." Now that she sat in the Great Hall, listening to Micheal drone on and on about who know what, she couldn't help but look up the Gryffindor table to where Nagendra sat. The boy turned and waved with a smile. Was he Ginny's rescuer? She supposed she'd have to return his pin eventually. Still, something didn't seem right. Perhaps she was just disappointed. Her eyes moved across the hall to the Slytherin table. Draco Malfoy looked at her across the hall, flashing her a brief smile before turning to Blaise to continue his conversation. She blinked for a moment. She had never gotten a smile from Draco Malfoy in the Great Hall before. Even more surprising was her satisfied feeling at the smile. She supposed that secretly she had hopped that he had rescued her. Now that she thought of it, the idea seemed silly. Although, he had rescued her in the potions lab and he had come to see if she were okay when she was in the bathroom. Hadn't he? She wasn't sure what had actually happened and what she had imagined. She looked down the table again to where Nagendra sat, looking up just as she did and smiling at her kindly. He did seem like someone who would rescue her.

Ginny let out sigh as she thought all of this over. "Are you listening Ginny?" Ginny was shaken out of her thoughts by Michaels voice again. "Yes," she replied carelessly. "Of course I am." Ginny looked at Samantha who sat on the other side of Michael, going through her morning ritual eye flirting. She was on Ernie McMillian who had just spilled some jam on his lap. Poor dear. "So you agree?" "Of course," Ginny smiled, not paying attention. "I couldn't agree more." "It's a date then." "What," Ginny asked, turning to face Micheal for the first time. Michael gave her an odd look. "I asked you to Hogsmeade later today," Michael explained. "And you just said yes." Ginny felt the smile on her face strain to stay in place. "Sounds lovely." "Good, meet you in the common room in an hour or so," Micheal beamed, jumping up and walking out of the hall, winking at a 3rd year. "Oh lordy," Ginny sighed, nudging Samantha, who was having an especially long eye flirt session with Blaise today. "Hey," she snapped, nudging Samantha harder. She received a glare from her blonde friend. "What?" "I just agreed to go on a date with Michael," Ginny whined. "Because you were to busy flirting with a snake to stop it." "Oh as if you can talk," Samantha said, patting her hair and giving Blaise one last look before turning to Ginny. "I'm not the only one flirting with a snake." "Who," Ginny asked curiously. "The dragon loves ginger," Samantha replied with a shrug. "Why do you talk in riddles," Ginny asked annoyed as she jammed some toast. "Would you be mad if I hung out with Blaise today?" Ginny shot her friend a glare of outrage. "You already have a date, after all," Samantha laughed. Ginny found the nearest bagel and threw it at her friend's head.

Michael was annoyingly punctual. It was one of the things Ginny had always detested in the two week relationship they had somewhat had. And just like in those two weeks, Ginny found herself feeling a mixture of guilt and annoyance as she rushed down the stairs to see Michael tapping his foot impatiently. "Oh, Ginny," he smiled looking at his watch again. "I was worried I'd been stood up." He laughed as if this idea was an absurdity. "I'm only two minutes late, Michael," Ginny snapped. But Michael was distracted by his own wittiness. "Shall we go to the three broomsticks then? Maybe Zonkos?" Ginny shrugged. "Zonkos it is," Michael smiled, tugging Ginny by the arm out of the castle.

When they arrived, the store was fairly packed with giggling teens and loud pops. "Have you seen these, Ginny," Samantha asked, suddenly appearing next to her. Ginny jumped a bit, nudging her friend playfully. "Where's your date," Ginny asked curiously. Samantha waved her hand nonchalantly to the corner where Blaise stood in the shadows, almost invisible, watching the scene around him uneasily. "He can't be seen with a Gryffindor," Samantha whispered as Michael was distracted by a shiny object that spun and made a loud siren sound. "And I don't know if I want it going around that I'm on a date with a snake either." "You're both very odd aren't you," Ginny laughed. "No, we're just like Romeo and Juliet, You and Draco Malfoy, Cleopatra and Anthony." Samantha said with a sigh. "Wait, what?" Ginny snapped suddenly. But before she could make Samantha repeat herself, Ginny was pulled away by the arm by Michael. "Look at this," he squealed. "It's brilliant!" He held up a candy that looked no bigger than a jellybean that had an ever-moving swirl of color. "What is it," Ginny asked suspiciously. Being the sister to boys like George and Fred made her wary of anything in Zonkos. With an exclamation of "look," Michael threw the jellybean into his mouth. Two chews in, the boy disappeared without a sound. "Where'd he go now," Ginny wondered looking around. "I'm right here, Gin," Michael's voice said, though his body was nowhere to be seen. "It makes you invisible! Or at least for a little." "What's the time limit," Ginny asked, thinking how she didn't want to be forced to talk to an invisible person for the rest of the day. Though it would be a good way to sneak away. "Ten minutes. Shall we go to the Three Broomsticks?"

By the time they had entered the Three Broomsticks, Michael was visible again, and more obnoxious than ever. Something about big groups of people made the boy show off and arrogant. He became a walking womanizer who thought he was much smoother than he actually was. Ginny sighed with boredom as Michael retold his story about his near death broom accident for what felt like the tenth time in ten minutes. She sipped her butterbeer as she looked around the room. Nothing of interest to note. Just the same people drinking butterbeer and laughing. She sighed leaning back against the booth and putting her hands in her pockets. She made sure, as was her habit now, that she had no holes. Her pockets checked, and so she absentmindedly moved her hand about feeling what else was in her pocket. There was her wand, a few coins, and something else. She pulled it out. It was Draco's ring, twinkling up at her. She had not gotten a chance to look at it since she had untangled it from her hair (a two hour process). Now, she inspected it closely. It was silver and expensive, as if that was an oddity for a Malfoy. However, as Ginny looked at it more closely, she noticed something odd. On the ring was what looked like a snake, with emerald eyes and tiny ruby nostrils. It seemed to twinkle up at her, less dimly then she remembered it would. Her eyes widened as she recognized the icon, involuntarily feeling her chest for the pin she normally wore. She had forgotten to put it on, but she was sure it matched the snake pin of her rescuer. Was it a common trinket or was Nagendra not necessarily her knight in shining armor after all?

Micheal's booming voice broke her thoughts and she turned to see him looking at her. He smiled, turning back to the few people before him, obviously pleased that she was listening to him, now that he had scared her out of thought. "So then I tried to pull up, but the cat was putting too much weight on the front of my broom," Michael continued boldly as the listening first, second, and third years gasped and cooed. Ginny stirred her butterbeer. "Hey Ginny." Ginny jumped at the familiar drawl so close to her ear, tickling it with air. She looked around confused, seeing no one in the booth. "What's the deal with this bloke your with? What a joke," the voice drawled, a trace of disgust in his voice. "Honestly. So he saves a cat and nearly dies. Big deal. Are these Potter's reject fan girls or something? So easily impressed." "Jealous," Ginny whispered teasingly. Ginny could sense the insulted look on the boys face. "Never!" "It was very brave of him you know," she continued in a whisper, trying hard to hold back her grin. There was a quiet scoff. "Besides, he caught your interest, didn't he?" There was another scoff followed by a "don't be daft." Ginny gave an innocent look to the place she thought Draco sat, invisible. "Look I've only got about five more minutes of this Zonkos thing. So hurry up and take this" She felt a hand drop something into hers. It was the candy Michael had showed her in Zonkos. "Then what," she asked curiously, giving Michael a smile as he turned to wink at her before continuing his story. "Then through the door over there by the bathrooms." She felt the weight on the bench shift. "Why," she began, but she could tell he was gone. She watched the door by the bathrooms, saw it pushed open and just as it was about to close, saw the blonde Slytherin begin to appear again. Ginny smirked, looking at the candy. Then, as Michael began his story once again for the new crowd of young girls, she ate it, peppermint exploding in her mouth and a strange tingling feeling flowing through her body.

Ginny moved quickly out of the booth and through the doors. She felt a rush of danger and curiosity. Her brother would kill her if he knew that she had not only taken a candy from Draco Malfoy, but was now off to find him. The latter task turned out to be as simple as the first. After exiting out of the backdoor of the Three Broomsticks she found herself in an alley with the dream team and Malfoy. The dream team had their wands displayed, glares flashing in their eyes. Ginny moved silently around them. "Don't test us Malfoy, we know that your just seconds away from being a deatheater, if you haven't been made one already," Harry snapped. Draco smirked, seeming nonchalant and unperturbed. "What would the Dark Lord need with little old me, Potter? Now why don't you children run along and go have a snog somewhere else." Draco's grey eyes seemed to fall momentarily on the ground and his wrist moved in his pocket, sweeping Ginny's snowy footprints away. Hermione gave him a strange look, but he returned it with a simple sneer "Why don't you three just leave and go do whatever it is Gryffindors do," Draco snapped.

When the trio finally exited the alleyway, Draco looked around before hissing "Weasels have the worst timing." Ginny smirked. "Now what?" "I need my ring back," Draco said with a smirk, holding out his hand. Ginny dropped it in his hand. "I noticed you admiring it," Draco continued putting it back on his hand. "I was trying to see what animal it was," Ginyn explained as she began to appear again. "a snake for Slytherin, I suppose?" "It's a dragon," Draco said with a smirk. "That's why there are ruby flames in his nose, about to fire." Ginny paused, looking at Draco with a look she was sure no one else would understand. "Not a snake?" Ginny felt a rush of excitement at this information. She frowned at herself. Afterall, this ring may be a dragon but perhaps the pin was still a snake. She had not double checked yet. Just then, Micheal walked by, calling her name on the street as he walked. The two teens stood in the alleyway silently until he passed.

"What's the deal with this Michael prat you seem to be with," Draco asked suddenly, changing the subject. "He's almost as bad as that Nagendra git. You have terrible taste in men." Ginny was a bit taken aback by the disgust in Draco's voice. "Why do you care anyways," snapped Ginny instinctively used to her brothers dislike of her date choices. "I don't," replied Draco with a drawl of boredom. His eyes seemed to scan the empty streets for passerbys. "That's convincing," scoffed Ginny. Her temper flared in place of her excitement, her pride a bit hurt by his sudden indifference. This is why she should never take candy from strange boys. "Look just because I give you candy doesn't mean I care about you, Weasel," Draco snapped back. His silver eyes looked at the street as Micheal passed once again, asking a passerby if they had seen Ginny. Draco's eyes narrowed. "Good, I wouldn't want a deatheater to care for me," hissed Ginny so that Micheal would not hear. "Well then you may want to rethink of few of your favorite boys," Draco retorted. "What does that mean," asked Ginny frustrated, her face pink with rage. "Don't be stupid, Ginny," Draco hissed back. "You think Micheal is a deatheater," she hissed annoyed. Draco rolled his eyes at the idea, but said nothing. Ginny turned swiftly, hair spinning and robe flying as she stormed out of the alley and down the street. She left Draco standing, half annoyed at himself, and half annoyed at her, watching her go. He stood for a few moments before cursing and turning away from the street and marching down the alley towards the opposite street. A few moments later, the alley lay empty, except for the track of footprints from Ginny, Malfoy, and another unknown set of footprint from an unseen observer to the conversation.


	4. Dragon Pain

Hours later, Draco sat at dinner, moodily ushering his mashed potatoes around his plate. Every so often he would give Pansy a scathing look as she babbled on and on about her day at Hogsmeade and how nice it was to have run into him. Draco had tried to avoid her after his fight with Ginny. That stupid Weasel took everything too seriously. He had only been pointing out what she clearly acknowledged herself: Micheal Sturgis was a bore. As for Nagendra, well… Draco looked over at the Gryffindor table to see Nagendra and Ginny talking. The redhead laughed, tossing long scarlet hair over her shoulder and away from the plate of food in front of her. Draco glared, hoping it would smack Nagendra right across the face. It didn't. Draco supposed that hair would not hurt the blonde too much anyway and leaned back, deciding that boils would be much more satisfying to inflict. Ginny would never do it. She was much too nice. Draco scoffed looking away from the table, but by turning his head he came face to face with Blaise, who was in the middle of his eye flirting with the Samantha girl. Draco could not hide the look of disgust on his face. "Don't look at me like that," Blaise said, pausing to turn to his friend. "You were trying to do the same just seconds ago." "I was trying to silently curse boils on the whole Gryffindor house," snapped Draco. Blaise shrugged nonchalantly and went back to looking at Samantha across the room. With cooing Pansy on his left and flirting Blaise to his right, Draco was forced to turn his attention ahead again.

It took a moment to realize that he was standing up. Blaise was looking at him, an odd expression on his face, eyes laughing. "What are you doing, Drakey," Pansy asked. The only other person who seemed to notice the abrupt movement was Ginny Weasley, who looked up, eyebrow raised skeptically. On her coat was what looked like a coiling snake with emerald eyes and red nostrils, his dragon pin. As soon as he met her eye, she glared before looking away. Nagendra, noticing this exchange, gave Draco an odd look before turning his attention back to Ginny and clearing asking what had just occurred. The red head shrugged in response. Still, Nagendra looked up for a moment longer then casual observation time. When he finally looked away, Draco ran his hand through his neatly done hair, sitting down and darkly looking at the redhead. "Bloody Weasels taking people's pins," he muttered darkly. Pansy straightened his out of place hair and exchanged a look with Crabbe. Draco looked up. "What," snapped Draco to Crabbe. Crabbe had an odd expression on his face, as if his very slow gears were working to piece something together. He looked over his shoulder where Draco had been peering. When he turned to face Draco once more, he picked up the drumstick in front of him and began to chew much slower then usual. "For god sakes Crabbe, don't multitask," Blaise snapped looking at the oafish boy. "Merlin knows you can't think and eat at the same time." Crabbe said nothing, simply looked at Draco again, chewing slowly and not saying a word.

Later, in the darkness of the dorm, Draco heard Crabbe's deep voice from the bed next to him, over the snores of Goyle and Blaise. "Don't you have a pin like that one Weasley had on?" Draco was silent, as if asleep. "Draco," Crabbe asked curiously. He remained quiet, glaring at the curtains of the bed where Crabbe's voice came. Draco had wondered if the oaf had been thinking this topic over as he chewed. "Didn't you say the Dark Lord gave the ring to you and your father?" Draco wondered how long the boy would talk without him answering. He wondered if he should snore to convince Crabbe he was asleep. "Don't be too fond, Draco." Draco frowned. "What do you mean," drawled Draco, unable to listen to the pointless rabble silently anymore. "I mean, she has your pin so she either stole it or you somehow gave it to her." "Why would I give it to her," snapped Draco. Draco imagined Crabbe shrugged but heard no sound to confirm it. "Point is, don't be too fond of instruments in the Dark Lord's plans," Crabbe said finally. "I'm not fond of anything except sleep, Crabbe," snapped Draco turning over. "All right, Draco," Crabbe replied. For a long while after, Draco listened to the snored and breathing of his roommates as he sat, looking at the ring on his dresser. It looked back at him, seeming to confirm what Crabbe had said.

Draco turned the corner and paused, peering around it carefully. No Pansy. No Crabbe. No Goyle. Good. He moved around it quickly, hastening to the dungeon. It was Saturday and if the redhead he was looking for was as determined to do well in her O. as he thought; she'd be in the dungeon. One more corner and he'd be there and no one would know that they had met other then himself, Ginny, and Snape. Draco knew that now that Crabbe had made the connection between Ginny and the dragon pin, he, Draco, would have to tell her whom her enemies really were. After all, he hardly thought Potter and his crew kept her informed. Not liked they knew what was in store for her in the Dark Lords plans anyways. No one knew. It was all rumor. Rumor and suspicions. There were a few things he did know, however. One of which was that he must march up to Ginny, look her right in the eyes and say, "Ginny, he's a death eater." Draco paused confused. He had thought the phrase, but the voice that he heard say it was that of Hermione Granger. Pressing himself against the wall, he peered around the corner to see Ginny, tapping her foot impatiently as the fluffy haired muggle-born looked up at her. "Why are you telling me," asked Ginny, looking at her watch and the door behind her. "Because I know you and him were in the lake, I saw him swim out after you. And I saw your footprints in the snow. And heard you yelling at him afterward." "What," Ginny asked outraged. "Are you spying on me or something Hermione?" Granger shook her head. "No but I don't think Harry or Ron would approve of it at all. Besides, you've been wearing his pin for a month now."

Draco rolled his eyes at the red heads blatant disregard for discretion. After all, who wears someone else's pin when they are not even sure who the person is? Still, he felt a slight smirk pull the corners of his mouth. He couldn't deny that the information pleased him a bit. "How do you even know it's his," Ginny asked. "I found it. Besides why would Malfoy have a snake pin?" "It's a dragon, Ginny. Draco, the dragon. That's why the nostrils are red." Draco felt a stab of anger at the perceptiveness of the muggle-born and her tone of condescending knowledge. Ginny's blush of rage seemed to feel the same way. "It hasn't even occurred to you," Granger asked. "Yes it's occurred to me, " snapped Ginny looking at her watch again. "Well, even if it is his, so what," challenged Ginny. "Well, then maybe there is a reason he's let you wear it for so long," replied Granger. "Like what," snapped Ginny. The door behind Ginny moved and Snape's voice filled the hall. "Ms. Weasley, are you planning on working on a potion today or may I assume I am wasting my time helping you study?" "Sorry professor," Ginny said. Draco could imagine the dark look Ginny gave Granger. The door closed as Granger said "Just think about what I said, Ginny!" Well, now that Ginny was inside it would be easy for him to sneak into the dungeon and talk with her briefly. Snape would not mind or notice the minute conversation. It would likely end in an argument anyway. All would appear normal. Draco made a step forward, but was stopped by the owl that flew overhead and nearly knocked him over. It dropped a dark letter onto the floor in front of him. He opened it. "Immediate meeting, come to the great hall. Dumbledore is notified of your leaving for family business. -Lucius."

"What are you playing at Malfoy?" Draco looked up from the letter to see Granger glaring at him suspiciously. "I don't know what you're referring to, Granger," Draco replied nonchalantly putting the letter in his pocket. "What are you doing following Ginny around? Leave her alone you nasty snake." "Granger," tutted Draco with a smirk, ignoring the flash of anger he felt. "Why would I follow around a weasel? Are the dungeons not for Slytherins? Now why not use that lacking brainpower for whatever it is you do with your time. Go find weasel senior and moon over him." Draco turned away with a smirk. "If you hurt her I'll tell Ron." Draco paused and replied, "I wouldn't." There was silence at his tone of emphasis. It had come out much stronger then he had intended and he gave a cold chuckle. "Why waste my time."

"Hurry up Draco, this is a highly important ceremony." Draco felt his stomach move forward again as he threw up what he had had for lunch. He leaned on the tree next to him to steady himself. He had met Lucius, standing as straight and austere as always in the great hall. There had been no fatherly hug or handshake. Both men had simply nodded at one another before Lucius had led Draco silently down to the Hogwarts gates. Only then did he begin to tell Draco about the Dark Lords desire to initiate him into the ranks of the chosen few. The Dark Lord believed he would be very valuable. Draco had asked why, but his father had told him not to question. They had apparated to Knockturn Alley. Draco had forgotten how much he hated apparation. But was reminded by the scene behind the tree. He stood, wiping his mouth. "Father I don't understand why the Dark Lord would want me to join when I'm only sixteen. I can't even legally use magic outside of school." Lucius looked at his son for a moment. "Perhaps he wishes for you to do something while in school." He then took Draco's shoulder and led him into a darkened shop. Inside stood Bellatrix Lestrange, looking bored. "It's about time Lucius," she snapped. Her dark beetle eyes moved slowly to Draco and Draco felt a chill run down his spine. Though he repressed it, Bellatrix smiles as if she knew. "Your arm, Draco dear." Draco held out his arm slowly, looking at his father. He had never seen his father so proud.

"Ah Lucius. I wished to be present for such a close followers initiation," hissed a voice from the corner. Out from the shadows, stepped The Dark Lord, snake like features looking from Lucius to Draco and then to Bellatrix. "My lord, you did not need to come and see," Lucius said bowing, a tone of honored surprise. "I did," replied the Dark Lord simply. "I wished to see something for myself." "It must have been a pain, my lord," Lucius said humbly, obviously proud. Draco was fascinated by the Dark Lord's grotesque appearance, no nose, just like an overgrown snake. It both thrilled and terrified Draco. "I had company," The hiss replied, motioning to another figure that moved out of the shadow. Draco moved his eyes to the 'company.' In the dark room, the pale features of the sixteen year old stood out like a star in the night sky. On his chest was the Gryffindor badge. "He is wearing the ring, my lord," said the platinum blonde company. There was not mistaking the pale features and blonde hair of Nagendra, who smirked at Draco as he spoke. "Nagendra has informed me that the pin I gave you has fallen out of your possession and into that of Ginny Weasley. Completely accidental I'm sure, but fortunate nevertheless," said the Dark Lord, seeming to talk to himself more than anyone else. "As you know, Nagendra was attempting to win over the little Weasley girl, but you have made his job unnecessary." The smile that moved across the Dark Lord's face was menacing. The look Nagendra gave Draco was pure hatred. The Dark Lord, however, looked at Draco and Draco followed the Dark Lord's gaze to Draco's outstretched arm. The dragon ring on his hand shone in torchlight. The smile widened. "Begin Bellatrix," hissed the Dark Lord.

At first Draco felt a searing pain on his arm, worse then crucio or any torture spell. It seemed as if something was burning under his skin, trying to get loose and break away. It took all his control not to fall to the ground. Then, as if from somewhere outside his plain of existence, he saw a fog beginning to approach in his mind. It seemed to cloud his mind and numb his pain. All he could see were the brown eyes and red hair of Ginny Weasley. She seemed to turn to him and smirk and then, he could not see the room or Bellatrix, or The Dark Lord. He could see Harry Potter looking at him behind worried glasses_. "Are you alright Ginny," his voice asked. It seemed muffled and distant, foggy. "I don't know," he heard himself say. "Harry, my arm is burning." He could feel tears on his cheek. "Ginny?"_ Potters face seemed to waiver for a moment. As his face went out of focus. Draco felt the fog clear for a moment as Ginny's view fell backwards into Harry Potter's arms. Draco moved his grey eyes to look at the Dark Lord. His snake like eyes were concentrating on Draco, not moving, simply staring in concentration. On realizing Draco's consciousness, he stared more determinedly, sending Draco back into the wavering view of Ginny Weasley. _"What happened," asked Granger's voice, her face appearing before Draco's view. "She's bleeding but I don't know why. We were just discussing quidditch," Potter's voice answered concerned. "Lets get her to the hospital wing."_ Draco was trying to concentrate on the pain he should feel, on the ceremony before him. He bit his lip, trying to get away from this scene before him. Come on, come on, he heard himself think. Concentrate on you. You don't have red hair. You don't have brown eyes. She likes Potter. She is a Gryffindor. You are not. You are not. You are- and he felt the fog clear suddenly and the searing pain on his arm return. He felt his knees hit the ground and heard Bellatrix mirthless laugh fill the room. His father helped him up. "Amazing, most people pass out halfway through the process from the pain." The look of pride was still on Lucius' face. Draco felt his face drenched with sweat. He looked at The Dark Lord and bowed, as he knew he was expected to do. "I welcome you, Draco Malfoy, to the rank of Death eaters among us," hissed the Dark Lords cold voice. "Rise." "I hope you saw what you desired my lord," Bellatrix cooed. "It was very interesting indeed," said the Dark Lord, looking at Draco. "Young Malfoy will be very useful to us."

Draco tried to get to the hospital wing for the three days Ginny was there. The first time, Madam Pomfrey shooed him away. The second he ran into Granger who gave him a dark look, moving close to him and hissing "I don't know what you did. But I know this is your fault." It had been such a menacing voice that Draco had been taken aback and had not made a witty response. He could see that in her eyes, the silence was like a confession. The third time, Granger had obviously told Weasley senior about her suspicions because when the door opened, Draco had enough time to say "Gi-" before a fist came straight at his face, knocking him backward and out of the wing. Madam Pomfrey had screeched in anger at "Mr. Weasley!" but that hadn't cured Draco's swollen black eye. He had thought about magicing it away, but somehow Draco felt like he deserved it. So he had left it were it was. He had given up after that, despite the fact that he had overheard Ginny hiss, "What happened to Draco's eye," to Samantha. He had paused, determined not to look at the passing girls. He even fought glaring when Samantha replied, "Who is Draco?" followed by the blonde's surprised realization "Malfoy? Why do you care?" Ginny had waved her friends questions away, peering at Draco as he rushed ahead. Draco wouldn't have been able to approach her with her brother always glaring him down anyway.

Weasel senior wasn't the only one watching either. Draco saw the way they looked at him, somehow different, cautious but also suspicious. Crabbe, Goyle, and especially Nagendra. That stupid blonde Gryffindor always seemed to appear, smirking at Draco, as if his new job was to make sure Draco didn't blow the Dark Lords plans, whatever they were. Draco had tried to think of what the Dark Lord could want with Ginny. Just to torture her? That seemed rather useless unless he wanted to lure Potter to him that way. Still, they had done that dance numerous times. No, the Dark Lord was looking for something more creative. But what?

Draco was angrily steaming over the whole situation while walking along the edge of the forbidden forest a week later. He had just managed to get rid of Pansy, who had been cooing over his black eye more than necessary. He had been trying to decide how to get his pin back so as not to have Ginny notice. He couldn't go to her room, because he didn't remember where it was. He could hex a Gryffindor to get it. But she usually wore it. He frowned in concentration. Just when he was contemplating how he could get close enough to her to snatch it back, he felt a tug on his arm from the forest and was pulled into the shadow. He blinked confused, looking at familiar brown eyes. "Gin-Weasley," he hissed, so surprised he didn't have time to rearrange his expression. "Show me your arm, Malfoy." Draco's eyes widened in shock. "What-" he began but stopped. "Why?" "Because I heard you. I heard your voice in my head when my arm was burning and the more you talked, the more I felt like myself, the more your voice faded. What the hell is happening?" Ginny's eyes burned with a fire so intense Draco felt a bit of fear, but he tried to control it. "The pin. It was a gift. It's connected to a ring that was my father's, but that he gave to me. So if you think of me, or I think of you, we become the other wherever they are. We overtake their psyche but they don't get hurt. I think it was originally to protect the other. So the user would get hurt instead of the person whose psyche was invaded." Ginny looked at him curiously as he explained quickly, rushing to describe it all before she turned away. "But I didn't know that you could transfer your pain away. I would never do that. At least," he paused looking away as Ginny looked at him. "You were talking and pulling away. You," she seemed to be trying to decipher something. "You were trying to make yourself feel the pain again. Not me." He gave a cough, still not looking at her searching eyes. He made no protest when she took his arm and rolled up the sleeve to reveal the new Dark Mark on his arm. He had expected her to hit him, or yell something, or to drop his arm and back away as if he had the plague. When she didn't do any, he looked up at her.

A ray of light escaped through the trees and fell across her freckled skin and red hair. Draco suddenly felt an urge to push the strand that fell lazily and unnoticed on her forehead. "You tried to take back the pain," she repeated. She seemed to be coming to terms with something. "And that hurt a lot," she commented running her hand over the mark. Draco made an involuntary sound of pain and Ginny looked up at him as if just realizing he was still there. She then looked at her hand, which was holding his. "That's why I need the pin back, Ginny," he said. "I need it so you don't get hurt. If the Dark Lord has figured out that he can use it to hurt someone and see what they see, who knows what he'll use you for." "Who knows what he'll use you for," she repeated looking at his grey eyes. Then she shook her head as if from a reverie and snapped, "Maybe I don't want to give it back, after all, it might not even be yours." Draco stared at her for a moment. "What?" "Yes, how do I even know its yours? I don't think it is. I think I will keep it. I think its Nagendra, after all, the pin is a snake and his name means snake. He told me awhile ago." "Ginny," Draco snapped. He wasn't sure what was going through the dense redhead's mind. "We both know it's-"

"Look, Draco," Ginny snapped back cutting him off. "You say its yours but I'm not sure and since it's in my possession, I will decide what to do with it." "You will get hurt, I've got to have it back," Draco hissed, eyes narrowing. He tried to reach for the pin, but Ginny simply held his hand and arm tighter not letting it move. "Well if you take it back," she snapped back. "You'll get even more hurt. Besides, you know you still want me to wear it." He paused. In their argument, both had leaned closer to glare at one another. Now Draco realized he could smell her vanilla shampoo in her hair. He could also see, she wasn't wearing the pin. "Where is it," he asked raising his eyebrow. He had lowered his voice to a whisper, though he wasn't sure why he felt he needed to. "I guess you'll have to find it. It's not here," Ginny hissed back. Her eyes sparkled with laughter. Draco wasn't sure if he wanted to punch her or kiss her. "Weasel, you're infuriating," he drawled trying to move away. But before he had moved an inch she had released his arm and took his tie with one hand, pulling him closer to say "not nearly as infuriating as a ferret." Then before any response could be uttered, she was kissing him and any response he would have said was gone from his mind. Ginny pulled back for a moment, looking at him searchingly, a blush appearing on her face. "I-erm," she paused seeming embarrassed as Draco's mind tried to catch up with what was happening. Then he realized. She thought that his shock had been a rejection. He looked at her, steel grey eyes meeting her embarrassed brown ones. "Shut up Ginny." And with that he took her arm and pulled her towards him. He looked at her a moment, leaning against the tree and slowly raised his hand to push the stray red hair from her face before kissing her again.


	5. Snake in the Window

Ginny smiled to herself as she added a period to the end of her sentence. She watched it disappear from her own parchment and saw it begin to reappear again on Samantha's. At first, Samantha read casually, half heartedly taking down notes on what Professor McGonagal was saying. Then, as she reached the part that detailed Ginny and Draco's kiss, she paused. Ginny smirked as she watched her friend rub her eyes, pick up the parchment and begin to read the words Ginny had written. Samantha was so close to the parchment, her nose was touching it. Then, blonde hair went flying, as Samantha turned wide-eyed and blushing to look at Ginny. Ginny nodded. Of course, Ginny had left out the dark mark on Draco's arm, but the impact of the moment was still obvious. Samantha made a silent clapping motion, stopping her hands from touching inches away from one another, but still showing her joy at the news. Ginny returned this by pretending to zip closed her own mouth. Samantha nodded.

"What about Nagendra though," asked Samantha in a whisper as they left the classroom, waving at the departing blonde boy in question. Ginny shrugged. "What do you mean?" "Well, wasn't he also wooing you," Samantha asked confused. "No," Ginny answered. "What?" Samantha looked outraged at Ginny's denial. "He was spending so much time with you! You have to tell him something!" "It's a secret, Samantha," Ginny reminded her. "What am I suppose to say? Sorry I'm actually busy snogging my brother's worst enemy in the forbidden forest?" "Well I suppose that's true, but if he asks you out, you must be gentle," Samantha said with a sigh. "I do wish Nagendra had somehow been involved in your rescuing, but at least it isn't Micheal Sturgis." Ginny giggled. "Micheal Sturgis couldn't even dream of rescuing anything but his pride." Samantha giggled back before adding, "Well, Nagendra is such a darling, at least you'll still be friends." Ginny nodded solemnly, waving at her redheaded brother as he passed. "What will your bother do when he finds out," Samantha asked curiously. "Let's not allow him to find out for a bit," drawled a voice behind them. Both girls turned to see Draco Malfoy looking down at them, eyebrow raised. "How long have you been there," asked Samantha shyly. "Long enough to know that Ginny told you," Draco sighed rubbing his forehead. Ginny blushed embarrassed. "She had to share you know, it's the code," Samantha said defensively. Draco looked around the hallway, which was empty, then back at the girls. "Can we please go somewhere less public?" The two girls smiled and followed him into an empty room. "All right, but you have to promise not to tell anyone," Draco said to Samantha. "Why not," snapped Samantha. Ginny couldn't help but smile at her friend's loyalty. "Are you ashamed of my fabulous Ginny?" Draco rolled his eyes. "You mean aside from the fact that her brother would punch my lights out and the fact that I'm a Slytherin and she's a Gryffindor, you need another reason for it to be a secret?" "Add on the Weasley and Malfoy factor," Ginny added. Draco nodded in agreement, smiling slightly in her direction. His eyes lingered on her's for a moment longer than necessary. "Well, alright then," Samantha conceded. "I suppose that works." She looked at her watch, blonde hair falling over her face. "Oops, Ginny we're late!" Ginny laughed at Draco's incredulous look. "It's true, we are late for our next class. I'd better go." Ginny turned to go, feeling Draco's hand catch her's and quickly pull her closer to him. He laid his lips on her's and sudden warmth spread through her face.

"Oh Ginny, always the bad boys." Ginny moved away, looking around her. She had heard the voice as if in her ear and yet loud enough for everyone to hear. Draco looked at her confused. "I'm late," she said with a smile, kissing his cheek before rushing after Samantha. Still, the voice had ruined the moment. She shook her head. She was going crazy. After all, Tom Riddle was nowhere in the room. There was no way he could have spoken those words.

Ginny walked through the crowded hall later that day, still unable to shake the voice she had heard earlier. "Gin!" Ginny cringed at the nickname, turning to see Micheal Sturgis rushing towards her holding a note. She sighed. Every month Micheal's mother sent him a magnificent care package with a never-ending letter rambling on and on about how much she missed him and how fabulous he was. Whenever he received them, he always found her and cornered her into hearing him read it aloud. To make matters worse, he would add in anecdotes to prove how right his mother was. The whole ceremony was terribly torturous. Just as Ginny was wondering what to do to get away, she felt a tug on her arm and was pulled out of the crowd and behind a suit of armor. The nearby suits of armor, as if directed, stepped together to make an impenetrable wall. Then, as the confused crowd of students paused at the commotion of clanging metal, the knights of armor burst into the school song. Behind the armor's singing, Ginny looked at the dark figure of Draco Malfoy, who smiled at her. "Saving you where ever I go," he drawled as he tapped the wall. A door appeared and the two teens rushed through just as the suits of armor reached "For now they're bare and full of air…"

Ginny now found herself in a passageway that was lit by torches without an end in sight. "Where does this go," Ginny asked interestedly. Draco shrugged, leaning against the wall under a torch that sent dancing light across his platinum hair. He was holding his outer robe, revealing his uniform. His tie was undone. He looked somehow tired. "Long day," he explained to her questioning look. She tilted her head confused. He rolled up his sleeve to show his dark mark. "It's been bothering me all day and night. I can barely think." "Well, you were able to think long enough to save me from Micheal," Ginny said, gently taking Draco's arm to inspect the mark. "Would you like a potion to make it hurt less?" Draco looked from her fingers, which were tan against his pale skin, to her face. She blushed, unsure of what he was thinking. "We'll here I have one anyway," she said nervously moving to sit down and open her bag. Her fingers let go of his arm and she saw it fall slowly to his side. There was a long silence as she searched her bag. She knew she had the potion in there somewhere. But she could not find it. She frowned, looking up at Draco. "You know," Draco said clearing his throat finally. "Ginny?" Ginny looked up at her name. "I think I'd rather just sit for a bit." She tilted her head as she stood, closing her bag. He nodded into the darkened tunnel. "Come on." As she stood, Ginny felt his cold hand close around her warm one, leading her through the tunnels.

They passed torches above them until they came to a heavy oak door. On the knob was a snake. Draco pushed open the door to reveal a sitting room as large as her own dorm room. The walls were lined with bookshelves, all except the wall opposite them, which had a large window, overlooking the lake. "How have I never seen this window from outside," Ginny asked curiously as Draco stepped carefully over a small step in the doorway. Draco shrugged. "I think it's a Slytherin secret. It's one of those things only Slytherins pass to one another. I doubt it's findable by other houses." Ginny cringed her eyebrows in confusion. "That's impossible. There is no way-" but as she spoke her disbelief, her foot passed the step. Suddenly, she found herself flat on her back, Draco looking down at her. She blinked up at him. "Well, if it repels other houses," Ginny said rubbing her back. "Then, yes, I can imagine it's a Slytherin secret." Draco couldn't help but smile at this observation and he let slip a chuckle. She turned glaring at him. "Did you know that would happen," she snapped. He regained his composure quickly. "I swear I didn't know. I don't hang out with Gryffindors normally. Most people I know can enter the room." Ginny glared at him for a moment. "If it makes you feel better, I'll pick a fight with your prat brother later and let him punch me again. That should make us even," Draco suggested. "Alright, your on," Ginny decided, getting up and dusting herself off. "Let's go find him." She walked down the passageway, pausing to look back when she did not hear accompanying footsteps. "You're serious?" Draco asked the question with a look that had both shock and horror. "Do you know how painful that was to be caught off guard? Not to mention the emotional and psychological abuse of Pansy cooing all over me day and night!" Ginny tried to keep her smile hidden. "It's only fair you know. Think of how hurt my bum and back are right now." "I saved you from Sturgis though!" Draco whined as he caught up. "Ginny you can't be serious!" "You are the biggest whiner ever," Ginny scolded. "Come on! You want your brother to punch me? Look at my face!" Draco motioned at his pale face. "This can only take so many punches before it is permanently damaged. And I've had my fair share." Ginny burst into laughter. "What? That's not funny," Draco snapped, stomping his foot. "What about me being punched is so funny to you?" Ginny tried to regain herself. "Well fine, if your going to be such a big baby about it, you don't have to get punched by my brother. I don't know why you suggested it in the first place." "I didn't think you'd agree to it!" Draco's outrage was almost too much for Ginny to bear, she was nearly dying from holding her laughter in. "but, you'll have to make it up to me another way, after all I did get catapulted from a room you were trying to show me."

Draco's outrage turned into one of calculation and Ginny fidgeted. He took a step forward, bringing his hand to her cheek. Ginny closed her eyes and felt Draco's lips approach her own, her heart beating quicker and quicker as she felt his breathe on her face. Then, just when she thought their lips should meet, nothing. She opened an eye to see him standing straight as he was before, smirking at her. "That's for trying to get me to let your brother punch me," Draco said firmly, moving his hand from her cheek. Ginny blushed embarrassed at her disappointment. "Your such a jerk," she snapped turning to march down the passageway. "Wait, Ginny," Draco's voice called after her. She was still blushing furiously and did not turn around. She could hear his footsteps running after her down the hall. "Come on Ginny, I was just joking. You know, we were kidding around…" "It wasn't funny, Draco," Ginny snapped. "And me getting punched by your brother is?" "I wasn't going to let him punch you, you git," Ginny shouted behind her, continuing her march. Her legendary redhead temper was getting the better of her. "I swear to Merlin, Ginny, if you don't stop and let me catch up, I'm going to have to tackle you," Draco said. He sounded out of breath. Ginny continued walking, seeing the wall that was secretly her door back into the castle hallways. She heard Draco mutter something angrily under his breath before she felt a push that made her begin to fall.

Ginny wasn't really sure how it happened, but she did not ended up hitting the cold stone floor. Instead, she landed on the softer Draco Malfoy. He gave an "oof" as he caught her, then smirked up at her sheepishly. "Can't let you get mad at me for making you hit the floor twice today can I?" Ginny glared at him, her temper peeling away as she felt his arms around her.

"Look, Ginny," He said, his grey eyes searching her hazel ones. "I'm not very good at this whole being a nice guy thing, alright?" Ginny was trying very hard to stay mad, but his soft voice was filled with such sincerity that it was making it very hard. "Can I try one more time?" Ginny looked at him skeptically as he sat up, not letting go of her. "If I let go, you have to promise not to leave," he said quietly, suddenly whispering although no one was in the passage. "Okay," he continued, moving his right arm away. He touched her cheek. "Sorry I made you end up on you butt in a passageway and then was a jerk, Ginny." "And I heard Malfoys never apologize," Ginny said, unable to hold a grudge any longer. Draco's face broke into a smile as he chuckled, pushing a stray scarlet hair from Ginny's face. "Well, I heard Weaselys hated Malfoys," Draco whispered. Ginny smirked, leaning closer and kissing Draco suddenly. And that's where they sat until dinnertime on the cold stone floor of the dimly lit passageway, kissing.

This sort of meeting began to happen more often. Ginny would be walking to lunch or dinner, or perhaps back from Quidditch practice when all of a sudden she would see a flash of platinum blonde, or feel a sudden tug on her hand and she would simply be pulled into an abandoned room or behind a statue for a kiss. It was not always a kiss. Once she had been walking behind the trio being completely ignored when she was suddenly pulled into a classroom. As the door shut behind her, she was met with Draco saying, "You know I reckon we should play quidditch against one another. I happen to be a pretty fair chaser, you know." Other times she would sneak behind a tree of the forbidden forest and just as Pansy walked passed with a bored looking Draco being dragged behind, she would send a spell that made Pansy's ink explode loudly in her bag. When the pug-faced girl released Draco's hand, the redhead would grab it and pull her rescuer to safety among the trees. She often thought she was very daring to attempt such things. Draco never let on, but Ginny suspected he appreciated it very much. It got so bad that at one point Ron turned to his sister at dinner and said "Where have you been disappearing to lately? It's like one moment your there and the next your gone." Ginny shrugged. "Your mad," Samantha chimed in. "She can't apparate away. How would she just disappear?" Ron shrugged and turned back to his meal but Hermione and Harry looked at one another and then Ginny again. She turned back to her food and excused herself before dinner had ended, saying she had transfiguration homework to finish.

It was half true. Ginny did go to the library to finish her transfiguration homework, but really she did not want to have another conversation with Hermione about the dragon pin or Draco's deatheaterhood. Alas, she could not avoid it when she heard a chair at the table pulled out. She looked up to see Harry sitting down. The raven-haired boy was silent for a moment, simply looking at Ginny, who shifted nervously under the glance. She felt like he was taking lessons from Dumbledore because he seemed to be reading her like a book despite her best efforts. "Ginny," Harry began quietly. "About what we talked about at Hagrid's, I think we've confirmed that you are a target." Ginny paused in her writing. "Hermione told me about the pin and Malfoy," Harry continued but Ginny interrupted him. "That girl cannot keep her nose in her own business can she?" Harry blinked confused. "Sorry, Harry," Ginny said gently. "You know how sensitive I am about that sort of thing because of all my older brothers." Harry raised his eyebrow. "Wait, are you saying that you know it's Malfoy's pin and you're still wearing it?" Ginny sighed, putting down her quill. When had Harry become less dense? It must have been when he started liking that Cho girl. It had forced him into reality and observations. "Ginny, he's a deatheater," Harry hissed looking around to make sure no one could hear them. "That means that he is an extremely likely candidate for putting Voldemort's plan into action." "You don't know Voldemort even has a plan," Ginny snapped. "He is a deatheater," Harry repeated softly, searching Ginny's face. She blushed from the inspection of her former crush. "I know he is," she snapped. There was a moment silence as Ginny looked down at her parchment. "Harry," she said softly, looking up at him. "He would not hurt you. Not if it meant hurting me. He, well," She paused deciding if she should reveal her story to him. "He tried to help me." Harry frowned. "I don't trust him, Ginny," Harry said. Ginny sighed and, giving up on any hope of finishing her transfiguration homework, and began to tell Harry the story of the numerous times Draco had proven he would not hurt Ginny. The original rescue, the potion, and especially the dark mark initiation.

"Ron's not going to like this," Harry said after she was done explaining it all. "Not going to like what," Ginny asked confused. "Not going to like that Hermione was right about why you are wearing Malfoy's pin." "What did she say?" Harry sighed, rubbing his eyes underneath his glasses. "She said that maybe you and Malfoy had some sort of understanding. Maybe you two were romantically involved. Well, you can imagine Ron went ballistic. They didn't speak for a month at least," Harry explained. Ginny frowned. "I never said I-" Harry gave her a skeptical look. "It was how you told the whole story. Beside, she told me about the lake. Honestly, I may be dense but thank god Ron doesn't listen to anyone." Ginny laughed. "Please, Harry, don't tell him? He'll go ballistic on me and that will ruin everything." Harry frowned opening his own book. "You want me to lie to my best friend?" "Swear to me, Harry. Swear you won't repeat anything I said to you tonight and that you won't rat me out. You don't have to lie," Ginny hissed. She paused for a moment as Nagendra passed. Harry and Ginny waved at him and he returned the favor with a smile. "Just don't answer," Ginny concluded after Nagendra was out of earshot. Harry's emerald eyes looked at her for a moment before he gave a sigh of defeat. "He'll hate me when he finds out but, fine. Just know that I will personally hex Malfoy into oblivion if anything happens to you because of him," Harry said. Ginny smiled in relief. But it faltered as she heard a whisper, as she had before. This time it seemed softer, but closer. In her ear or in her very mind, Tom's voice seemed to hiss, "all in good time."

_It was a full moon outside and the shining light shone down onto the lake before Ginny. It was peaceful and yet, somehow Ginny felt uncomfortable. She looked around, finding that her wand was nowhere to be seen. "Well Ginny, I sure did miss the fresh lake air." Ginny turned as Tom Riddle of sixteen jumped down from the tree, landing on the lakeshore. He did not slip in. She had so hoped he would. Tom smiled as if knowing her thoughts. "I always knew you were a bad girl. You always tried to be so very good but there had to be some dark part of you. Otherwise, what would I have survived off of? There had to be some hate, some prejudice." Ginny frowned as Tom took a step closer. "What are you talking about Tom? You're dead and gone. This is only a dream." "Oh Ginny, Ginny, Ginny," Tom sighed. "Our souls intertwined. We soul tangoed together. We nearly became the same soul. You can't imagine that a separation of our souls would be as easy as to kill my memory, can you?" Tom's smile widened at Ginny's discomfort. "Oh, no Ginny. Souls are delicate things. You see part of me did not die because part of me had already left the diary completely to begin feeding off of your soul. Minuscule, perhaps, unnoticeable for sure, but still there." Tom touched her shoulder and she felt a cold chill run down her back. It was uncomfortable. Ginny felt exposed in the moonlight. "Anyway, I'm sure you'll figure it out sooner or later. After all, there have been so many signs. But you know, I always loved your naivety. Everyone is a good guy in your eyes. Even a snake in the window." As he spoke, Tom motioned above him to the large window. In it, a shadow stood, peering down at her. Ginny could not tell who the shadow was, but felt a familiarity about it. She did not know how she could tell, but she sensed the figure was smiling. The window looked familiar as well, but she could not pinpoint from what. "Don't worry Gin, you'll be able to stand on that side of the window soon enough. You have a bit of Slytherin in you, just waiting to burst out. Even if it is just the remaining tango partner" Tom's laugher filled Ginny's ears, creeping down her spin and into her very bones. She tried to shake it off but it seemed to fill her like water filled a cube, reaching every corner._

Ginny sat up in bed, still feeling the vibrations of the dream laugh. Her forehead was beaded with sweat and her breath was quick. As she sat there, the dream's details slipped away grain by grain. She rolled over and went back to sleep, hoping she'd remember some of the dream in the morning.

The next day, Ginny stood in the hallway, waiting for Draco to finish tying his shoe. He was on the other side of the door, hidden from the nearly empty hall. "Hurry up, I'm really hungry," Ginny whispered as a first year Hufflepuff rushed by, giving her an odd look. She shrugged, ignoring the fact that she appeared to be crazy. Better crazy then dating a Slytherin. She smiled at her own joke. "What's so funny," Draco asked as he stood, seeing her smile. "Oh I made a joke in my head," Ginny said, explaining the joke. Draco shrugged. "I'm going to ignore the insult. Acknowledging them just ruins my complexion." Ginny giggled at the melodramatic posture he took. "Besides, everyone knows that deep down all Gryffindors want to be Slytherins, or at least dating one." "I don't know about that," Ginny laughed. "But if it makes you feel better about yourself…" "It does," Draco assured her, nudging her shoulder playfully before he discreetly moved away from her as Professor McGonagal passed. "That reminds me," Ginny hissed to Draco from his new position a few feet away. "I had a dream last night." Draco looked at her curiously. "About Professor McGonagal?" "No," she said looking around to see if anyone had entered the hall. They were alone except for some passing students, rushing off to do other things. Few paid the two teens a second glance. "I had a dream about someone telling me I had a bit of Slytherin in me. I can't remember it all," Ginny paused in thought. Then it hit her. Her dream had been about Tom Riddle and he had been talking to her in his puzzle filled way again. Then, she remembered the laugh that had filled her head and chilled her blood.

"Ginny?" Ginny felt Draco's arms catch her before she knew she had lost her footing. She stood up again. "Sorry, I-I-, Sorry." Draco raised his eyebrow concerned. "You're all pale," he explained. "What exactly happened in this dream?" "Well, it's going to sound silly but there was Tom Riddle, you know. Like the diary that I had first year?" Draco seemed to tense as he leaned against the wall, looking at the hallway around them. Ginny followed suit, noticing no one except Nagendra in the corner who seemed occupied with a discussion he was having with a portrait. The portrait had just begun a story about their favorite sort of tulips. Ginny decided that Nagendra would not be able to hear her if she continued her story, nor did he seem interested in the fact that a Weasley and a Malfoy were standing in the hallway talking quietly.

She explained the dream as best she could remember it and when she had finished, Draco looked at her, seeming to be debating something. He grey eyes seemed to move from her face, searching for something, to the corner where Nagendra stood still listening to the portrait, unmoved. "What," Ginny asked finally. Draco looked at her unsure, then back at Nagendra. "You have that look that Harry gets when he wants to share something with Ron and Hermione, but can't because I'm there," Ginny said suspiciously. "What is it?" "Later," Draco muttered, looking back over at Nagendra. "Come on Draco," Ginny hissed. Draco shook his head. "We'll meet later. I'll send you an owl." Ginny looked at the blonde for a moment, frowning in concentration. Just as she was about to press the matter further, she heard a voice beside her say "Is there a problem here Ginny?" Ginny turned to see Nagendra looking down at her gently. She looked at him confused until he nodded over to Draco, who was looking away. "Is this snake bothering you?" "Oh, no. We were talking about potions. He is suppose to be tutoring me before dinner, but he is refusing to do it now." "I don't want to help you, Weasel," Draco drawled half-heartedly, still looking away. Ginny looked at Nagendra with what she hoped was a hopeless look. "Well, if he won't help you, I will. I'm fairly good at potions," Nagendra offered. Ginny smiled, hoping Draco would step in. "Well," she began unsure, but she was cut off by Draco's voice snapping, "as if you could teach her anything, Nagendra. Weasel, be in the usual room at five. I'll inform Professor Snape." With that, Draco stormed off down the hall without looking back. Ginny looked at Nagendra, who shrugged. "Oh well, maybe I'll stop by anyways to make sure everything is alright." Ginny smiled. "That's nice of you, Nagendra." Nagendra shrugged, pushing a strand of blonde from his blue eyes as he led her to the Gryffindor common room.

The fact that Ginny had tutoring with Draco and Professor Snape had not been a lie. And so at five, Ginny sat in the dungeons trying to get Draco to tell her what he was going to tell her late that night. "I haven't sent you an owl yet because I had class all day and then quidditch practice," Draco hissed, looking up at Professor Snape who was labeling jars of ingredients. "Well, when will you tell me then?" "I have to figure out a place that is safe. I promise I'll send you an owl after dinner. I'll go right after this and it'll be waiting in your room." Ginny looked at him skeptically. "You are so impatient," Draco sighed, nudging her half-heartedly under the table. Ginny shrugged. "Cut the roots now," Draco instructed in his usual drawl. Professor Snape looked up, eyebrows raised. Ginny wasn't sure why, but she always felt as if Professor Snape knew what went on inside his classroom, but that often times he chose to ignore whatever it was. Unless 'it' was being perpetrated by Harry or Ron of course. Still, the way he looked at Ginny seemed to say that he knew something she did not know he knew. She turned back to chopping ingredients and the room was quiet for some time. Ginny fell into a rhythm, a cutting zen in which she seemed almost hypnotized by the motion. With that came more speed as she began to think less about cutting and so her second nature kicked in. She had chopped things so often this year in order to practice for potions she was practically a chef. Just as she was at her fastest, her rhythm was suddenly broken by Professor Snape's cool voice echoing through the room as he said "Draco, may I see you in my office?" When she jumped at the noise, her knife cut her finger and she pulled it to herself. Draco looked concerned, making a motion to take her hand and see if she were okay, but restraining himself as Professor Snape said, once again. "My office, Draco." This time he added, "Try and clean yourself up Miss. Weasley for when we return." Ginny nodded.

Ginny brought out her wand, looking at her finger. The cut was deep, but not too deep. She frowned deciding the best thing to do. She ought to magic it better. She waved her wand. Nothing happened. She frowned. Perhaps she was a bit out of practice, it has been a while since she had gotten a cut and recently she had been perfectly fine with simply wearing a band aid around until the bleeding subsided enough for her to magic the cut closed. But she had never been unable to stop the bleeding. She shrugged, thinking her spell had simply been mispronounced and tried again. Still nothing. Ginny made a sound of annoyance, looking at the door to Professor Snape's office. She wondered what it was that Professor Snape and Draco were discussing. She shrugged and pushed back her chair. She would simply have to go to the hospital wing and get Madam Pomfrey to heal her, or at least get a band-aid until later.

Ginny walked as quietly as possible out of the room, closing the door behind her. As she turned to the hall she came face to face with Nagendra. She gasped, grabbing her heart. "Blimey, you scared me, Nagendra." Nagendra smiled kindly. "Sorry about that, I was only coming to check to make sure Malfoy kept his word to help you study." "Oh he did," Ginny said with a smile. "Thanks for coming to check." She made a motion to go around him but he did not move. "What happened," he asked, motioning to her finger. He seemed concerned, yet his eyes seemed to dance with laughter. She wondered what he was laughing at. "Oh I cut myself when Professor Snape startled me, I'm just going to the Hospital wing." "Won't Professor Snape notice," Nagendra asked, motioning to the small window on the door. Ginny turned to see Professor Snape's door opening and Draco exiting. "Drats," Ginny said with a sigh. "Here," Nagendra said, pulling a box from his bag. "My mums always made me carry these around when I was younger and now it's like second nature. I never get to use them though." The box was a box of band-aids. "You're my hero, Nagendra," Ginny said happily. She reached to take a band-aid, but he quickly chose one for her and wrapped it around her finger. "Thanks," she said with a smile, wondering at his odd behavior. Maybe he did have a thing for her like Samantha always claimed. Ginny shook her head. She was sure that wasn't it. "Better get back to your lesson," Nagendra said with a smile. "I'll see you around. Oh Ginny." Ginny paused to look at the blonde, blue eyes boy. "I like your dragon pin," Nagendra said pointing to the pin that peaked from under her cloak. Ginny waved to him as she entered the room again, pointing to her band-aid to explain to Draco where she had gone.

Ginny sat at dinner, chewing her broccoli thoughtfully. She wondered what it was that Draco was going to tell her and if he ever was. She looked over at the Slytherin table as she thought this to see the blonde looking at her. He had a smirk on his face before turning back to what Blaise was saying. Ginny shook her head and looked at Samantha. "Jealous, I feel like you need an area of ten feet with how much you and Malfoy flirt." "Like you can talk," Ginny whispered to her pouty blonde friend. "I know!" Samantha seemed to have tears of joy in her eyes. "I'm so proud of you! My prodigy!" She hugged Ginny tightly. "Samantha your such a drama queen," Ginny laughed. Just then an owl dropped a letter onto Ginny's plate. It was one of the school owls, brown and otherwise unnoteworthy. Ginny offered it a piece of her roll, which it took after a moment. Then, it began to fly away, swaying for a moment, before disappearing out of the window. Ginny opened the letter as the great hall went back to its conversations. "What's it say," Samantha asked, leaning over. Ginny leaned close, reading the letter softly, "Dear Ginny, Sorry it's taken so long for this owl to get to you. Maybe you learned to be patient, or maybe your going to hex me when I'm not looking. Either way, meet me in the room I showed you. You won't get catapulted out this time, I promise. See you at midnight! Sincerely, Draco Malfoy." "That's how you get in," Samantha asked, pointing to the rest of the written letter with step-by-step directions. Ginny nodded, looking back over at the Slytherin table.

That night, Ginny moved down the hallway. She opened the parchment that had been sent to her earlier. Finding the wall, she poked it three times with her wand. It moved aside silently. The hallway seemed to echo without the suits of armor singing. Ginny giggled at the idea as she walked down the dimly lit passageway, remembering how Draco had explained how he had convinced the suits of armor to sing. She finally reached the door, pushing it open. She could see a figure by the window; he turned to look over his shoulder, but said nothing. "Draco, are you sure it won't catapult me?" The figure still said nothing, just looked at his wrist and motioned for her to move forward. She haphazardly walked over the step and paused, one foot in the room, one foot outside. Nothing happened. Ginny sighed with relief and continued on, rushing towards the window. When she reached it she beamed at the figure. "I don't know how you managed it but I did it!" He smile faltered as she saw that the person who was standing at the window was not Draco Malfoy, but Nagendra. "It was the band aid and the piece of Slytherin in you," he replied with a smirk. His normally friendly blue eyes seemed dark and dangerous, but not in a charming way. In an evil way. "How are you in here," Ginny asked in surprise. "By the Dark lord's permission. Since he is the heir of Slytherin, he can permit it." Ginny blinked confused. "Where is Draco," she asked suddenly feely nervous. Nagendra motioned lazily out the window. Below them, a blonde figure stood, looking at his watch. Ginny gasped. "I don't understand," she began looking at Nagendra. "I was counting on the fact that you wouldn't, Ginny dear. That you would come trusting Draco to have charmed the entrance. But you've done so much more. The band-aid had to attach onto something deeper then just your finger. It was also the sign that He has taken proper root." Ginny blinked confused. "He," she asked. "Yes, Tom Riddle." Ginny took a step back, but Nagendra grabbed her by her bandaged finger. She moved uncomfortably under the pressure on her cut. "Looks like you've got some of me in you after all, Ginny," whispered the voice of Tom Riddle in her ear. It seemed stronger, more sure then ever before. Ginny looked at Nagendra cautiously, trying to move her finger from his grip, but he did not budge. "I don't understand Nagendra," Ginny said desperately trying to grasp something out of her reach. Nagendra looked at his wrist watch and smiled. "I waited for ages for a moment to jinx you to cut your finger today. I was worried you'd notice me in the door, but of course you and Malfoy were to busy whispering. I'm going to enjoy this ritual," Nagendra said, a smile appearing on his face that made Ginny want to shrink away, it seemed to uncharacteristic.

Ginny looked back out the window to see Draco and three other figures looking up at her. One had flaming red hair; the other had raven black hair. She moved to call for help but just as she took a step forward Nagendra's wristwatch began to beep as the time reached 12:30. Like a hook was attached behind Ginny's belly button, she felt herself being pulled by the portkey band-aid away from Hogwarts castle, to who knows where.


	6. The Dragon Spots the Snake

Author note: so it's not confusing, this chapter and the last overlap slightly. Also, you may have to wait a bit for the next chapter. Mostly because my school just started again, but also because I need to decide exactly how much I want to tell in the next chapter and how many more chapters there should be. So, enjoy this one. Read it reeeeallly slowly if that helps.

Chapter 6: The Dragon Spots the Snake

Draco smiled at Ginny's impatience as she chopped ingredients in Professor Snape's classroom. She pushed a scarlet hair behind her ear carefully as she turned away, back to her chopping. She was falling into a rhythm, cutting faster and faster. Draco let his mind wander for a moment, tracing the profile of her face with his grey eyes. He was just about to speak when Professor Snape's voice cut through the room in his usual cool tone. "Draco, may I see you in my office?" Draco heard Ginny make a noise. He turned to see her holding her finger, looking at him sheepishly. Draco smirked half amused, half concerned, as he took a step forward to help her. He paused. He was suddenly very aware of Professor Snape's presence in the room. Draco hesitated, looking at Ginny, trying to show her what he was thinking through his eyes. "My office, Draco," Professor Snape hissed. Draco looked at him quickly. Few people knew how to read Professor Snape. To them, his beetle black eyes seemed like endless tunnels. But Draco had become accustomed to seeing Professor Snape's eyes soften in his presence. Now, the wall that normally stood before other students fell away as Professor Snape looked at Draco and, for a moment, Draco saw a flash of urgency. Draco nodded turning away. He gave Ginny an apologetic look as Professor Snape added, "Try and clean yourself up Miss. Weasley for when we return."

Professor Snape closed the door behind Draco. There was a moment of silence. In this time, Draco noticed that Professor Snape's office had not changed much since he had last seen it. It was still dark and cold with lots of cabinets full of ingredients for potions. Today the cabinets seemed in a bit of a disarray, though Draco decided that was likely because of the cleaning Professor Snape was doing. Draco looked at the somewhat greasy Professor before him. He supposed he could see why the tall, gaunt man intimidated people. Professor Snape did look a bit like a mortician and Draco knew how people had an odd dislike of morticians. Professor Snape pushed his black hair out of his face with his usual cold poise. "What is it Professor," asked Draco delicately. Draco had personally never met a mortician he didn't like. Draco wondered what this reflected about his character. He then wondered if he had always had such inner dialogue, or if this was one of the few negative side effects Ginny Weasley was having on him. He supposed it was likely the second. Shaking he head, Draco re-focused on the situation before him.

Professor Snape looked at him for a moment before speaking. "I warn you, Draco, to be wary," Professor Snape explained coolly, moving to his office window and closing the blinds. Draco blinked confused. "Professor? I'm afraid I don't know what you are referring to." Professor Snape turned quickly, rolling up his sleeve to show Draco his dark mark. He gave Draco a serious look. Draco wondered if he was the only deatheater who felt a surge of nausea and dread at the very sight of the dark mark. As if knowing it was being thought of, his left arm began to itch suddenly. "Oh," Draco said, scratching his own dark mark carefully. "Be wary of the Dark Lord?" Professor Snape sighed moving to sit down. Draco felt that the Professor seemed very tired. "Surely it cannot have skipped your mind that you were inducted because of the connection you and Miss. Weasley share due to certain magical artifacts," Professor Snape said. Draco raised his eyebrows in surprise, but Professor Snape waved the surprise away as if it were a fly. "I've known for quite some time that he would do such a thing, but I had hoped it would not manifest as the Dark Lord had hoped." "What do you mean, sir," drawled Draco, leaning in. "Not that I wish misfortune on the Dark Lord's plans," Professor Snape continued, speaking delicately. He did not move his gaze from Draco. "But, it is unfortunate that you may find yourself a casualty within the process." "And what, Professor, is the process?" The two men were leaning in across the desk intensely.

"Draco, you know that such things are on a need to know basis. I am only sharing this much with you for your own safety," Professor Snape explained, leaning back. "You are not suggesting that I may be a tool in the Dark Lord's rumored plans," Draco asked, narrowing his eyes. Professor Snape rose, opening a few drawers casually, not looking at Draco. "I am merely warning you not to get too attached to those who are vital parts of the Dark Lord's schemes. Such a tainted soul as our master would surely not stop at hurting a follower on his quest. I warn you because your father and I are old friends." Draco looked at Professor Snape searchingly. But the man was looking through cabinets. "You cannot think it a coincidence that he sent your father and a few others to give you the pin and ring the very night Miss. Weasley was in the forest," Professor Snape said, still rummaging through his cabinets. He had not found what he looked for inside the first one and had moved to a lower one. "It had not occurred to me that the Dark Lord could know about G-Weasley's social calendar," Draco said cautiously. Professor Snape paused and turned to look at Draco, as if unsure if Draco were serious or not. "The Dark Lord has many spies, Draco. Surely you are not naive." Draco could not help feeling offended and slouched back slightly. "You are saying that the Dark Lord set it up so that I would save Weasley and she would get my pin? I wasn't possessed, how could he have managed that?" "It is possible, but more likely he was setting the situation up for another deatheater to save Miss. Weasley. You just happened to be a plan B that went far better then he expected. But this is all mindless theory," Professor Snape replied with a shrug. Draco thought suddenly of Nagendra and his blue eyes that had a cruel smirk in them. Finally, Professor Snape took three potions from the cabinets and placed them on the desk between Draco and himself.

"Of course, I don't expect anything rash from such a cunning boy," Professor Snape said, looking at Draco seriously. "I'm cleaning out my potions, as you may have seen in the classroom. Would you like these?" Draco looked at his Professor suspiciously. "Professor," he drawled leaning close to inspect the potions. "Is it likely that I should not get attached to the Weasley girl because she may not survive the Dark Lord's plan?" Professor Snape said nothing, merely looked at Draco with his dark beetle eyes. Draco had once heard that Professor Snape knew Occlumency. It had been a passing joke one Slytherin made to another. Still, Draco had always remembered. He had sometimes been extra cautious when looking at Professor Snape; sometimes preparing himself to block the professor if he tried any Occlumency. Now, however, Draco did not try to build a mental wall. He was not sure what it felt like when someone rummaged through your mind. Whether Professor Snape did it or not, his eyes softened. "I recommend the amber colored potion, highly uncommon. It can be used to replenish a pure soul that is weakened," He said in a gentle tone Draco had only heard a few times. Draco raised his eyebrow, looking at his teacher. Professor Snape looked directly at Draco. "I don't want a potion, Professor. I want everyone to stop talking to me in riddles," Draco drawled. Professor Snape pushed the amber potion forward. "I insist you take it. I believe that is all that needs to be discussed, Draco." Draco grudgingly took the potion and moved to the edge of the room. At the door he turned back to Professor Snape. "So, Ginny is the target and I can be used as a tool to destroy her? I don't understand." Professor Snape shrugged. "Will you at least tell me where it is I should avoid?" Professor Snape sighed, looking at Draco. "Surely you will be summoned if you are to assist in anything. But I would not be shocked if it were in a meadow, under a full moon. Likely in Scotland." Draco blinked. Professor Snape's cold exterior had returned and he seemed to grudgingly ask, "Was that clear enough?" "You are suppose to tell me that, aren't you," Draco asked accusingly. Professor Snape nodded silently. Draco gulped nervously. He thought something clear would make him feel more secure, not less. Information like that was only given when it was by the command of the Dark Lord. "I do believe Ginny Weasley is waiting for you're assistance," Professor Snape said as Draco stood paused at the door. Draco nodded, trying to force color back to his face. He reentered the classroom just moments before Ginny joined him, showing him a band-aid around her finger.

As she went back to her potion making, Draco felt a renewed urgency to explain to her everything he knew; to the extent he knew it. If nothing else, she would then be able to understand if he demanded his pin back, and told her they must never ever be seen together again. Draco stiffened his muscles. It would be easy; he would simply take her by the shoulder and demand the pin back. He would look into her hazel eyes and say, "Weasels and Malfoys just can't be friend. I tire of this game. So long." As he imagined the scenario in his mind, he gulped, shifting uncomfortably. Ginny turned to give him an odd look and he smiled in response, feeling the now familiar heat rush through him from his chest. Well, he would work on his speech in the mirror at least.

Draco moved his quill across his parchment as he sat in the Slytherin common room. He had promised to send Ginny an owl during dinner and that it would be waiting in her room, but this new urgency did not allow for him to waste the time. He would have a school owl deliver the letter to her at dinner so she would know then and there where to meet him for his explanation. Then, he would have a few hours to practice telling her. He paused in his scribbling to hit his head against the table before him. He sighed, feeling the cool oak against his pale skin. He had thought Gryfindors were stupid, but at least Potter would never fall for the Dark Lord's sister. "Alright mate," Draco muttered, running his hand over his face and turning back to his writing. Draco lifted the paper again, rereading it to himself in mumbled tones. "Dear Ginny, Sorry it's taken so long for this owl to get to you. Maybe you learned to be patient, or maybe you're going to hex me when I'm not looking. Either way, meet me by the lake at midnight! Sincerely, Draco Malfoy."

He looked up to make sure no one had heard him muttering to himself. No one was in the common room but him. Standing, he sealed the letter and put it into his pocket, checking his watch. It was almost dinner. "Drakey dearest!" Pansy's voice broke the silence around Draco and he cringed. "Yes Pansy," Draco drawled. "I have been looking for you all day!" "Fascinating, Pansy." Draco moved towards the door. "But where are you going," Pansy cooed, latching onto Draco's arm as he walked out of the common room. She fell into step with him. "I have to send this letter, it's very important," Draco explained, trying to shake Pansy off of his arm. Like a leech, she was not releasing her grasp. "You'll walk all the way to the Owlery by yourself? I'll accompany you!" Draco rolled his eyes at her sugar-coated voice. "You don't need to Pansy," he snapped. Pansy seemed unbothered. "I'll enjoy it, then I can tell you about my day! You see it all started when I broke a nail this morning…" Draco sighed to himself and allowed his mind to wander into better activities, like thinking about quidditch, duals, and Ginny Weasley.

"Draco, you are not listening to me," whined Pansy for the fifth time as they turned the last corner and began their trek up the stairs that lead to the Owlery. "Pansy, I've already admitted it the last four times, do I need to say it again? I don't care what Blaise did, unless its that pretty blond Gryffindor." "Drakey! That's disgusting," Pansy said, her pug like face pulled into an expression of malicious joy. Draco rolled his eyes. She thought he was being vulgar and mean, but really he was just being honest. He wished Blaise would make a bloody move on Ginny's friend. He was tired of seeing their flirting. Still, he decided he would not waste breath explaining all this to Pansy. Especially because he had just reached the landing to find Nagendra talking with a portrait of a stout man with gigantic mutton chops on his face, an owl flying around his head. Nagendra looked over his shoulder as the portrait explained something. Draco's grey eyes met with Nagendra's blue ones and for a moment as he passed, they did not break eye contact. Then, he opened the Owlery door and closed it behind him. "I don't reckon I like him very much," Pansy said shaking her head. "What a Gryffindor. Stunning eyes though. Nothing like yours of course, Drakey." As she spoke, Draco looked at the school owls. He would need one that was especially bland looking. Completely forgettable. "So sorry you don't agree with me, Pansy," came Nagendra's voice. Draco turned as the door of the Owlery closed again. "I don't see why you would care either way," Pansy replied carelessly inspecting her nails. Draco looked at her in disgust. She was flirting with Nagendra? He had seen her use this form of flirtation on him before. Pansy's eyes darted up from her nails, looking at Nagendra through her lashes. "Shall I leave you boys to your letter sending," she asked, smiling in Nagendra's direction. She turned to Draco, batting her lashes. "I'll save you a seat at dinner, Drakey." Draco watched as Pansy moved to the door, pausing and looking at Nagendra again. Draco supposed the best measurement of Nagendra's bad quality was that Pansy was so interested in him.

"How you managed to get such a looker interested in you is beyond me," Nagendra said as the door was closing. Draco frowned, narrowing his eyes at Nagendra as they heard a stifled giggle, then the click of the door closing. "I wish you'd keep talking to portraits instead of with me," Draco drawled, going back to looking at owls. "Yes, well, I really was waiting to talk to you, so I had to occupy myself. After all, how odd would it look if I was just standing by the Owlery door?" "You were going to talk to me? About what," Draco asked disinterestedly inspecting an owl. Though it didn't show, he was feeling nervous about this encounter. "Just to see how you are, what is new…" Nagendra was speaking in his sly tone. "Making sure you are not interfering negatively with the Dark Lord's plans." Draco paused, hand in his pocket searching for the string. He turned, narrowing his eyes to look at Nagendra. Nagendra was leaning against the window, an owl perched on his shoulder, ready to fly off to deliver the letter in Nagendra's hand. "What's that," Draco asked, trying his best to sound casual. Nagendra looked at his letter, a smirk tugging his mouth. "A letter to my mum. The whole world isn't about you, Malfoy." Draco gave a dry laugh. "Well, despite the fact that I am being given instructions in riddles, I have followed them as best I could." Draco paused, doing his best to remain casual. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled as if he was being watched. Behind him a few owls hooted as if they had been disturbed. Nagendra seemed undisturbed and when Draco looked over his shoulder, he saw no one. Though, he doubted that was any proof that no one was there. "Oh, the Dark Lord did not even tell you his plan?" The joy on Nagendra's face made Draco want to punch the blue eyed boy into oblivion. Instead he simply clenched his fists.

"Is there a point to your ego trip," Draco said, tying his letter to Ginny onto the owl's leg and taking the owl to the window. "Of course. I am eager to see your reaction." "My reaction," Draco asked, making sure the letter was tightly tied before releasing the owl. "Your reaction in the fact that despite your clear deep feelings for the red headed trash, you will be a contributing factor to her demise," Nagendra said casually waving his wand about. Draco turned, walking briskly to the door of the Owlery. Here he paused, looking at Nagendra. "Nothing will happen to Ginny by your hand or anyone else's," he muttered softly. But Nagendra's chuckle showed Draco that he had heard. He slammed the door behind him. As he walked to the Great hall, he was inwardly seething at the audacity of Nagendra. Draco moved to the Slytherin table and saw Pansy wave at him, motioning to the seat she had saved for him in the quickly filling hall. He sat and watched the door as Ginny entered. Then, Nagendra. Draco wondered if it always took the boy so long to send his letter. He supposed the prat had had to have a triumphant moment. As he was glaring at Nagendra, who coolly sat down, Draco couldn't help but notice that Potter came rushing in, looking frantically about for his two partners. Not seeing them, he turned to leave, but his eyes fell on Draco for a moment. Draco blinked confused at the expression on the boys face. It had no loathing, no hatred. The raven haired boy turned and rushed back out of the hall. "What was that about Drakey?" Draco turned to see Pansy looking curiously at him. "I have no idea," Draco replied thoughtfully.

Draco looked at his watch as a cool breeze blew past him, shaking the leaves above him. He leaned against the tree next to the lake. His watch told him it was midnight, but Ginny was nowhere to be seen. She was not usually late. Perhaps she had run into her brother. Draco rolled his eyes and looked at the stars above him. He went over what he was to say again. Ginny would greet him with a kiss and he would turn his head so it landed on his cheek, then he would say that he wanted his pin back and that he was not taking no for an answer. He would explain what was going on and if she still refused to give him his pin back, he would lie. He would say he was tired of her weasel face and wanted to go back with Pansy. Draco cringed at the very idea. Still, he had to do it or something worse would happen. Draco still wasn't sure what, but he knew it was terrible and that it involved himself and Ginny being connected. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of scarlet and looked at his watch. It was five past twelve. "It's about time, I've been waiting for ages," Draco said, beginning to turn. However, his progress was hindered by a fist that met him full force, making him stumble over a protruding root and fall to the floor. "I've been waiting for that as well Malfoy, I'm so glad we could both be satisfied." Draco blinked up at the scarlet head above him. The speaker was not Ginny Weasley, but her brother, Ron. "Bloody Hell Weasley, what was that for?" "Oh Ron, No!" The red head was joined by Hermione Granger. Draco touched his cheek gingerly. There would surely be a bruise there tomorrow.

"Hermione, you can't tell me my sister has been wearing this prat's pin and that you know they are snogging and then expect me not to punch him," Weasely senior snapped glaring down at Draco. "I don't know what you've done to her, but I swear you better not touch her ever, ever again." Draco glared up at the red head. He began to stand, but found himself knocked back by another punch. "Ron," Granger squealed, pulling the redhead away as Draco successfully stood, rubbing his stomach where Weasely senior had made contact with it. "Blimey Weasel," he coughed. "Don't you have a leash for this one, Granger?" Granger glared at him. "It's not like you don't deserve it. We know it was you who hurt Ginny. I don't know why it took so long for me to tell Ron," Granger's face suddenly lost color as Weasely Senior turned to her. "You knew before now," he roared. Draco looked at his watch. It was now fifteen after. "Not to interrupt your lovers spat," Draco said, feeling suddenly anxious. Weasley Senior and Granger glared at him. "Did you see Ginny on your way down?" "No! But I heard you were meeting. Harry just told me." Just then, Potter's figure appeared. "Well, right on que," Draco drawled, looking at Potter with disgust. "And how did you know I was meeting Ginny," Draco asked. "I heard, in the Owlery," Potter said glaring at Draco in return. "Do you ever refrain from eavesdropping, Potter," Draco spat. Potter shrugged smugly before turning to face his red headed friend. "I didn't get to finish telling you what I heard, Ron. Malfoy isn't who is trying to hurt Ginny." "What," Ron asked astounded. "No, it's Nagendra. He is a deatheater, not Malfoy." Draco quickly made sure his robe was covering his dark mark. It was. Potter seemed to be aware of the word choice he used, because he looked at Draco with a sideways look. Draco had a feeling that Potter knew Nagendra was not the only person who was a deatheater. He gave the boy wonder an unbothered look, pretending to scratch his arm. "Where is my sister Malfoy," roared Weasley Senior, pinning Draco against the tree. "It's baffling, really. We are suppose to meet at midnight, I sent her an owl but," Draco's eyes suddenly widened. "What," snapped Ron. "What is that look for? Malfoy I swear on my dead grandmum's grave I will-" But Draco cut Weasley Senior off by pushing him away, moving from under the tree. The three other teens followed him. As moonlight fell on them, Draco searched the windows of the castle. Finally, his eyes landed on the window he was looking for. There in the window stood a surprised looking Ginny and a smug Nagendra. Just as Ginny turned to see the four people below her, she and Nagendra were gone and the window was left empty.

"So my sister is going to be involved in some sort of ritual," Ron repeated. Draco looked around Professor Dumbledore's office. He had never been within the walls and was feeling very uncomfortable with the other three teenagers. Granger, Potter, and Weasley Senior looked at Dumbledore as he spoke. Draco looked at his watch. It was now two in the morning and they had done nothing but talk. It was all nice and good to have Dumbledore explain his theory on the Dark Lord's plot, but they were wasting time. "I believe she is," Professor Dumbledore said solemnly. Weasley Senior fell back in his seat, head in his hands. "This is your fault," he said suddenly, looking at Draco. "On the contrary," Professor Dumbledore said gently. "Mr. Malfoy has been nothing but helpful. He was in the process of taking back his pin." Draco rolled his eyes as Professor Dumbledore began on another long explanation. Leaning back, Draco closed his eyes. He imagined Ginny's smiling face. He saw the twinkle in her hazel eye, and the flush of pink on her cheeks. He saw the laugh that made her whole face light up and her eyes dance and then…

He was in a dark open area, moving quickly. Before him were two figures, robed in dark black. They seemed to be pulling his (Ginny's) arms, practically dragging him. Strands of scarlet hair fell in front of his face. Draco concentrated, stretching himself mentally to inhabit his new surrounding. He wiggled his fingers. Finding that they moved, he turned his head, looking for something unique that would reveal the location. Nothing surrounded them but overgrown grass. Looking down, he found that he was walking on a designated path. On closer inspection, he found it looked as if it had once been a road. "Hurry up," snapped a figure behind him. He turned to find Nagendra pushing him. Draco narrowed his eyes at the boy. He stumbled over a rock, and catching himself, managed to move his arms from the grasp of the two clothed figures. He dusted off what he had tripped over quickly, finding that it was an old street sign. Just what he needed to see. The sign read "Lestrange Blvd." "Bloody hell," Draco gasped as the two figures grabbed him by the shoulders once more. "Wait," Nagendra said suddenly, making them stop. He appeared before Draco's eyes, leaning to face Draco, or as Nagendra saw him, Ginny. Nagendra peered at him. Then, without warning, Nagendra punched Draco so hard that Draco felt as if his jaw had been fractured.

Draco looked around him, tasting blood in his mouth suddenly. Weasley Senior, Potter, Granger, and Professor Dumbledore peered down at him interestedly. "Malfoy, you're bleeding. What happened," asked Weasley Senior, confused. Draco noted the joy in the red head's face at the realization that Draco was injured. "You were just sitting in the chair as if you were asleep and then you were almost thrown off it by nothing," Potter observed. Draco spit into a trashcan, seeing blood. Professor Dumbledore looked at him knowingly. Draco couldn't help but think how annoying such a look was. "The pin that Miss. Weasley possessed is connected to Mr. Malfoy's ring. I believe he is able to possess her momentarily, and she is able to possess him, when they wear the pair. However, whatever physical abuse occurs to the possessed is felt by the possessor. I imagine that is what has just occurred, am I correct?" Draco spit again, shaking his head to clear it. It only made him dizzier. "Yes," he croaked finally. "I didn't mean to give her the pin, Weasel," Draco added quickly at seeing Weasley Senior's expression. "No, he saved her from being stunned in the forbidden forest and Miss. Weasley received the pin at his escape," Professor Dumbledore said. Draco looked at him quietly, nodding. He thought it was extremely creepy that the old geezer knew so much. "Well, now that Mr. Malfoy is paying attention, perhaps I can explain more clearly what is happening now," Professor Dumbledore said.

Professor Dumbledore looked at the teenagers before him solemnly. "As I have said, I believe that Ginny is to be used in a ritual. When Tom Riddle created the diary that Ginny Weasley received so many years ago," Weasley Senior threw Draco a dirty look, but Draco ignored it to listen to Professor Dumbledore. "He lost some of his power by placing a bit of his soul in the diary. That is what possessed Miss Weasley. When the diary was destroyed, a piece of the soul survived in Miss Weasley's soul, undetected. However, with the introduction of the dark instrument," Professor Dumbledore paused and looked at Draco significantly. Draco frowned, after all, he had not told the idiot girl to wear the pin! She had done it on her own. "The dark piece of Tom Riddle was able to grow ever so slightly. Still too small to possess her or be noticed, but enough for Voldemort to feel it's presence and perhaps effect her dreams. I believe the ritual that is to be done is one that will extract the piece of soul power from Miss Weasley." "Well, if it's just going to get rid of the piece of Voldemort, then what's wrong with that," asked Potter curiously. "The soul cannot survive on its own, nor can it be taken back by Voldemort at its weak state. It must be extracted and strengthened by the killing of someone; before it can be turned into a potion and absorbed by Voldemort," Professor Dumbledore explained. The room was silent. Finally, Weasely Senior's voice broke the silence. "Are you saying that my sister is going to have the soul sucked out of her before being killed," he asked, face pale. Draco felt as nauseous and the three Gryffindors looked. He knew he should have taken the pin back. He had been so stupid not to. "We will get her back, won't we Harry," Granger said, looking nervously at the raven-haired boy wonder. "Where would Voldemort perform such a ritual, Professor," Potter asked Professor Dumbledore. Professor Dumbledore turned to Draco expectantly. The other teens joined suit. "I know where, but we have to hurry. It's at the Lestrange Estate." "You mean Lestrange, as in Bellatrix Lestrange," Potter asked darkly. Draco nodded. "How will we get there," asked Granger standing suddenly. "Do you know where it is located?" "It is in Scotland," explained Draco.

Professor Dumbledore stood, clapping his hands together. "Well, since we know where Miss. Weasley is being held, the following ordeal will be much easier. Now, transportation." He moved to the window. A flash of violet light shot from his wand into the forest, then he turned back to smile dreamily at the teens. "I don't want Malfoy to come, it's his fault Ginny is in this mess to begin with," Weasley Senior said suddenly. Potter and Granger looked at their red haired friend. "How will you know how to get to her then," snapped Draco, suddenly feeling a burst of fury at the idea of their going without him. "I intend to help Ginny whether you prats like it or not." There was a shocked silence. "He has to come, Ron," Potter said finally. "We are all on the same side for this one." "But he's a deatheater," exclaimed Weasley Senior helplessly looking to Granger. She shrugged, agreeing with Potter. "Fantastic, you can take the car," Professor Dumbledore said with a smile. Draco wrinkled his eyebrow confused, but just as he thought that perhaps the old geezer had gone as mad as his father often claimed, there was a honk and a motored vehicle appeared by the window. It was the most beat up thing Draco had ever laid eyes on, but he recognized it almost immediately as the car that had appeared on the cover of the Daily Prophet when he was twelve. "My dad's car," Weasley Senior exclaimed, hopping in the open doors. Draco looked at it suspiciously. Granger hopped in the back seat, using the balcony as a stepping stool to reach the hovering vehicle. "Let's go Malfoy. Time to man up," Potter said with a laugh as he followed Granger. Once seated he turned, holding out his hand to Draco as he said, "Welcome to being a Gryffindor." Draco looked at him, spitting the last blood from his mouth before rushing into the car. As the door closed behind him he turned to Potter and said, "Don't ever call me a Gryffindor, or I'll be forced to curse you to next week."

When they landed, Draco opened the door and released everything that his stomach had been holding. As he wiped his mouth, he saw Weasley Senior smirking at him. Draco narrowed his eyes in response. "Who knew someone as rich as a Malfoy could still have bodily functions," Weasely Senior smirked. "Ron, we have bigger things to worry about," Granger scolded, but a smile tugged her stern face and Draco muttered darkly to himself as they moved to the edge of the trees. Before them stretched acres of overgrown field. In the distance was a large manor, illuminated eerily by the almost full moon. "Is tomorrow a full moon," Draco asked suddenly. "I think so," Granger replied. "Why?" Before Draco could speak, he saw Potter looking at him. Silently, they seemed to understand the same thing. "Well, this means we have time. We'll split up. Ron and Hermione, you go that way and try to get to the back door. Malfoy and I will try to rush the house from the other side. If in trouble, throw up red sparks." Weasley and Granger seemed insulted at the idea of splitting up. "We don't know how protected it is and I don't want anything happening to Ginny because we all couldn't find a route in," Potter explained to his wounded fans. Draco rolled his eyes. "Let's go," he drawled moving forward. "In a moment," Potter snapped. Granger tapped each of them on the forehead. In a moment, Draco stood alone in the field looking around. "Ready Malfoy, you're next," Granger's voice said softly. "Don't bother," Draco said, feeling a burning in his left arm that stung so badly that he nearly fell to his knees. "I think He is expecting me." No sooner had he said this then a figure suddenly apparated next to him.

"Hello nephew," Bellatrix Lestrange said smiling widely. "The Dark Lord requests your company. So good of you to be so close by." Her cackle sent a cold shiver down Draco's spine. The feeling wasn't helped when she took hold of his shoulder sharply, disapparating with Draco from the field into the distant manor.


	7. Dragon Saves Weasel, Weasel Saves Dragon

Chapter 7: Dragon Saves Weasel, Weasel saves Dragon

Ginny had dreams that were very much like this. She had not had them for a bit, but the fact that she had once had them at all was surely a sign of her cynical nature. Or at least she thought so. She supposed she was not gothic enough to actually make such claims. Still, she had had dreams like these; dreams in big cold windowless cell rooms. Ginny looked around again. Cell room was, too be honest, an exaggeration. It was really just a terrible gloomy run down room that looked as if a demented person had once owned it. Ginny shook her head, recounting what had occurred. The letter, the room, Nagendra… Ginny's temper flared and she tried to stand, but could not. Looking down she saw a chain wrapped around her wrists and to the floor. It looked like a black linked snake.

"Terribly damp and dreary here, don't you think? I treated you much better last time. I took you to a much more spacious and well lit dungeon then." Ginny looked up quickly but she had recognized this voice before she looked. Still, she was surprised to see a pacing Tom Riddle, still 16 as he had been so many years ago. Tom seemed to be inspecting the room around them. Ginny shook her head, scrunching her eyes closed and opening them again. When she opened them, Tom was gone. She gave a sigh of relief. At least she was just going insane and Tom was not actually present in the room. "Oh Gin, I'm here." Ginny turned again to see Tom leaning casually against a bookshelf, empty and dusty. "Well, psychologically speaking." Tom chuckled at his own joke. Ginny squinted her eyes at Tom and he flickered away, only to return as her eyes widened in surprise. "Do stop that, it's so hard to take in my surrounding when you do such silly things," Tom snapped annoyed, though giving her a sly smile nonetheless. As if he thought it was funny. "I do think it's funny Gin," Tom cooed, his smile widening at her look of surprise that he had understood her thoughts. "You are basking in the momentary power you possess in my ceasing to exist but I never leave you. I merely exist beyond sight." Ginny shook her head. It hurt and not because Tom was making no sense.

Tom sighed as if he were dealing with a kindergartener that refused to stop shoving peanuts up their nose. "My existence is tied to yours. Our souls are intertwined. For Merlin's sake Ginny! I swear all that Muggle sympathy has finally turned your mind to mush." "You're dead. I saw the destroyed diary. I wouldn't be alive if you were," Ginny snapped, her face flushed with rage. She hated Tom's silky condescending voice. As if she were still eleven. Tom all but beamed at her, though it never reached his eyes. "But I'm here because you are alive." Tom moved across the room and Ginny squinted again. His figure disappeared. She continued, satisfied with herself at having this new power, though not understanding it.

"Really Ginny, can't you comprehend it yet?" Ginny couldn't help but gasp as Tom's voice echoed in her mind. "I exist in you. Inside your very soul and being. We are one. Well, we are two who are stuck together." Ginny had stopped squinting and Tom appeared again. "Imagine this room as your psyche if you will," Tom said. He was sitting lazily on a dusty desk, running his finger over the surface and looking distastefully at the mess. "I am a bit like a projection of what is inside your soul. The only reason you can see me now is because of the potion Wormtail gave you. It allows my half of your soul to gain more power, making it possible for me to project myself outwardly." Ginny tried to stand again, but nothing. The chains would not give. "Yes Ginny, your chained. I recommend you use your energy for more productive endeavors than trying to escape," Tom said casually inspecting his nails. "Like what," Ginny snapped annoyed. "What could possibly be more worthwhile than trying to get out of here?" "Oh Ginny, why must you always be so coarse with me? As if I don't know your inner thoughts and emotions? I've existed inside your very soul since the moment you wrote 'dear diary' into my pages. Let's not pretend that we have not dwelled together for so long." Ginny gritted her teeth. "Oh your annoyed now," Tom said cheerfully. "Wonderful. I enjoy the emotional range you seem to have in such common place moments."

"I hardly call this common place," Ginny said annoyance growing. She could not figure out why Tom talked in riddles and what they meant. How had they been dwelling together? He was dead. He had ceased to exist. Tom's smile widened as he sat just in front of Ginny, looking at her cheerfully. "You want me to explain more thoroughly," Tom asked. He seemed almost excited, if he could possess such an emotion. Taking Ginny's defiant glare as an answer of affirmation, Tom began to explain. "When you let me into your soul, I was beginning to appear through your soul. I possessed you, yes, but I was also pulling in your spirit to be remolded into my own. When Potter destroyed my book, he destroyed the majority of that soul that was absorbing yours." Here Tom looked at Ginny a flash of anger in his eyes. He spoke Harry's name as if it were poison on his lips, spitting to the ground in disgust. "But, it did not destroy the part of your soul that had connected with mine. I never completely ceased to exist because no one was ever smart enough to purify your soul of my possessive power. I sat there dormant, appearing in dreams perhaps, but mostly powerless. Weak. Then I was awoken. Few things can awaken the dark side of a soul. But the evil artifact you now wear upon your chest was perfect. I felt its power through me like a heart pumping blood and the longer you wore it, the more powerful I became." Tom pointed now to the Dragon pin on Ginny's chest. The eyes seemed to twinkle in recognition. Ginny looked up at Tom, wondering what Draco's pin had to do with anything. It may be a dark artifact, that she found no surprise in, but how could it have touched him? Tom smiled. "You make explanations so easy, Ginny, love." Ginny snarled at the name, making Tom's smile widen. "I suppose dear Draco did not tell you that it was I, as Lord Voldemort, who gave the trinket to his father. I suppose my future self dropped his own blood into the eyes, allowing him to keep a closer watch on the Malfoys, but it was this blood that connected me to the pin, allowing me to feed not only on the sinister power, but also on the soul who was now attached to us both through your wearing the pin. Or rather, lack of soul. What do we call the soulless these days?" Tom seemed to ponder this for a moment, entertained by his own tangent as Ginny moved her wrists.

The chains around them were old and loose. They had been made for someone much bigger and had not been magiced smaller. She began to move her wrist, working them through the holes as Tom continued, as if uninterrupted. "It helped so once you and Draco began to exchange bodies. It allowed me to stretch for a moment, exist within the pin and outside of you both, unnoticed in the interaction and unharmed by your ridiculous affections." Ginny glared at Tom. "Oh nothing is more disgusting than rebellious love, Ginny, dear." "So you can exist within the pin, why do you need me? Just take the pin," Ginny snapped, her wrist was beginning to bleed from the cuts the metal made on her wrist as she moved it about. Tom laughed the laugh that often filled Ginny's nightmares and sunk straight to her bones. She paused, feeling as if she was unable to breathe under the stress of a panic attack so close to the surface. "Haven't you been listening? I am still attached to you. The pin merely gives me power, but not enough to exist without you. At least, not yet. It's only a pin with blood. It has no death, no bad juju, and no real power to feed me. It must be corrupted. You must be corrupted and made weaker for me to take over. Despite my best efforts, you seem to be stronger, at present." Ginny was working not to allow her expression to show the pain her wrist was in as she continued to move. The blood made her hand was more lubricated.

"But that is easily fixable. Just like most corruption, all it takes is a death and guilt," Tom smiled. He seemed not to mind Ginny's struggle despite the fact that Ginny knew he was aware of her purpose. "The problem with those souls who are so courageous and good is that they get torn up when it is their doing that destroys another. Your guilt complex is fascinating and useless, but wonderful for me. Perfect for my purposes. I fear you'll be passing out from blood loss much sooner than you escape from those chains." Ginny looked up shocked. She was feeling light headed from the blood loss. Tom smirked. It was more a sneer, Ginny thought. " Do try to dream of Draco as you sleep, I'm sure he'll be joining us soon, though this may be a true Romeo and Juliet story. I do hope its as you imagine it." Tom's sneer was going in and out of focus. Then Ginny could see nothing but black, then Tom's sneer, then black, then only the platinum blonde hair and grey eyes of Draco Malfoy.

Draco could not know what was occurring floors beneath him in the manor he now found himself on the floor of. It was the first time he was able to keep from vomiting after apparition. He was grateful, though Bellatrix looked disappointed. Draco tried to look up at her neutrally, but was sure he was looking smug. It was confirmed when she swooped to his level and hissed, "watch your looks or you'll lose the privilege of being able to make them." "Allow me to teach our guest some manners, Bella." Draco managed to turn to see Nagendra just in time to be sucker punched straight in the face. Stumbling back, Draco spat out blood as Bellatrix' cackle filled the room.

"Is this how you treat a fellow follower," drawled Draco, looking up at Nagendra and then Bellatrix. The two sneered at him, unmoved by his casual drawl. It was unnerving that they looked at him in such a way. As if they knew his fate and were taking great joy in it. "I bet he thinks he knows what is to come," Bellatrix said casually to Nagendra. "Dumbledore probably told him," Nagendra agreed. "He's here to be the knight in shining armor. Come to rescue his damsel in distress from the tower of misfortune that his own carelessness put her in." "How weak," Bellatrix sneered. The two were walking around Draco as if they were vultures, deciding if he were dead enough to begin consumption of his carcass. He apparently was not dead enough for their taste, for they continued speaking as they circled. "Dumbledore always had that dream. Potter comes in and saves the poor helpless damsel. Really Potter is just walking into a trap. You would think someone who hated Potter and everything he represented would be wiser," Bellatrix cooed. Draco hated it when she cooed. It was like rancid honey sliding down his ear canal. "I bet he thinks we are going to kill Ginny," Nagendra smirked. "Then what would we do? Their goes her soul and the Dark Lords, all in one swoop. How very uncunning." "I like to think we are much more clever than that," sighed Bellatrix. "Oh, we will kill her," assured Nagendra. "I know," Bellatrix said excitedly. She licked her lips and Draco could not help but feel that the whole idea was some sort of turn on for her. He was working hard to keep his face neutral at the idea that killing Ginny would bring such pleasure. "I merely came when summoned," he said looking at Nagendra with venom. Nagendra seemed undisturbed. Almost as if he enjoyed the attention. "Of course," Nagendra said glancing at Bellatrix as if sharing a secret. Bellatrix gave a low chuckle peering around the room wildly. Draco was sure he was in a room of insane people.

"We've given her the potion already. Now she and the Dark Lord are closer than they have been since the diary was destroyed. Now, she is able to be used to destroy herself and create him anew," Bellatrix twittered. "You said you weren't killing her first," Draco frowned. "His concern is delicious," Bellatrix nearly shrieked. "How would we destroy her without first destroying you," Nagendra asked. Draco's eyes paused as Nagendra stood before him, stopping the whirlpool he and Bellatrix had been traveling around Draco. "After all, she realizes what you have not." Draco could feel Bellatrix' smile widen though he could not see her. He could tell from the hairs on the back of his neck beginning to rise. Then in a flash he felt Bellatrix's breathe against his ear as she spoke into it with a voice laced with laughter, saying, "it is you who is the damsel in distress. The destruction of the damsel destroys the good knight. Confusion, guilt, brooding thoughts. Delicious moments of weakness in the knights tale and moments of advantage." Draco tried not to shrink away from her putrid breathe against his ear. "I can't imagine how you'll pull such a feat off," Draco drawled, though he felt sure his performance was not fooling anyone. "Besides, your analysis of the situation could not be more off. I come to destroy the damsel, as a faithful servant of the Dark Lord." "Then we meet an agreement," smirked Nagendra. "We destroy you, Damsel."

Ginny awoke to the nudging of a hand. Opening her eyes, she was met with grey ones. They seemed to smile at her. "Good you're up, Ginny," Draco said smirking. "I had the oddest dream," Ginny said with a yawn wanting to stretch but she had slept oddly and her arms were asleep still. She sighed; this was something she thought her brothers would do. "About what Ginny?" Ginny looked up as Draco pushed a strand of hair from her eyes. "It was a bit of a nightmare actually. It had Tom Riddle in it and I had been kidnapped and they were going to do something- something involving you and me and the pin. Something about killing you through it…" Ginny sat trying to remember her dream. Draco paused. He had been occupying himself by tidying up the room, an odd habit he had admitted to having when bored. He looked over his shoulder at her, concern in his pale face. "What about the pin?" "Oh just that it made us connected, but that I'm also connected to Tom and so he was going to use the connections to do something. To revitalize him, I think. Its only a dream anyway," Ginny said nonchalantly. "Just a dream," Draco asked but this tone was less like Draco. It did not smile or sooth her ears. It sent chills down her spine. Ginny looked up and Draco's platinum blonde hair had been replaced by jet-black hair. Dark tunnels replaced his grey eyes and Tom replaced his person. "Wake up you silly thing, I'll show you a dream."

Ginny shook her head to find herself in a new room, it was open and she was unchained though her wrists ached. They were bandaged. Looking around she pinched herself. She was awake this time. She wondered if she had been hallucinating before. "It's likely you were, Virginia. After all, the potion we gave you was to weaken the divide between your conscious and subconscious so that Tom, or rather myself, could really take hold." Ginny turned quickly, leaping up from her spot on the floor, reaching for a wand in her pocket that was not there. From the shadows stepped a tall figure with snake like features, no nose or hairs, just slits where the former had once been. Ginny had thought Lord Voldemort would be much different, though his terrifying aura was not a disappointment. Ginny thought she could see a smirk appear. "Ah yes, the wit of the brave," Voldemort hissed. "Get out of my head," Ginny snapped. She was clearly already in so much trouble that at least making a stand would not risk her safety any further. "My dear, calm yourself," Voldemort hissed, still approaching nonchalantly. "I am not here to hurt you. In fact, you'll feel nothing at all. I'm merely here to work with you. Consider it a midlife crisis. I simply yern to get in touch with my younger side." Voldemort laughed at his own joke, a laugh that held no mirth. "Wormtail," he snapped suddenly. Out of the shadows came the figure of Wormtail. He approached to stand just beside his master and said nothing, looking nervously from Voldemort to Ginny. "What do you want," Ginny asked, surprised at her own bravery. "Watch your mouth you filthy-" Wormtail began angrily, but Voldemort raised his hand and the servant fell into silence. "So glad you asked my dear. I simply want my self back. You seem to have snatched him away from the diary I wrote so long ago. If you'll just stay put, I'll be able to retrieve him with almost no harm done to you. It will be like reaching in and taking out tonsils, the muggle way. You won't recall a thing. Quick and painless," Voldemort hissed, moving around Ginny. "I like your pin," he commented using his wand to motion to the dragon broach on her cloak. "Is that what you want," Ginny spat, reaching for the pin. But no sooner had she touched it then her hand burned and she withdrew it with a noise of pain.

Voldemort tutted. "See, it would be painless if you would let me give you the anesthesia. You want to go don't you? I surely have no use for you. I merely need you for a brief moment to retrieve my other piece. Then you can return to Hogwarts, your family, and of course Mr. Draco Malfoy." Ginny's eyes widened. "You're going to hurt him, Tom told me." Voldemort made a disapproving sound. "Hurt him? No more then his call of duty entails. Besides, he knows what is to come." Ginny must have looked shocked because Voldemort chuckled. "You think I was unaware of my followers activity? He told me of it. He and Nagendra did. They were working together you know. I was not sure who would be able to swoon you first: the handsome and kind Gryffindor in Nagendra or the charming yet forbidden Slytherin. You chose the Slytherin which was all fine for me because Draco had made the precaution of giving you a pin to connect you two fully." "It's not true," Ginny snapped. Voldemort looked at her sadly. "You think that he, a Malfoy, would ever degrade himself to a Weasley? Well, I understand you like him. I only work to reveal the truth to you." Voldemort waved his wand, making a circle in the air. Within the circle appeared the image of Draco and Blaise Zabini, mid conversation. _"Are you saying a Weasley is out of my league," _snapped the Draco image. Blaise looked nervous at the accusation. _"I mean, look at her mate. She's hot. You may be the most eligible bachelor in Slytherin but she is out of your league,"_ Blaise replied. Draco's eyes gleamed. _" I sense a bet coming on. All the money in your pocket if I can get her." "Deal." _Then the two boys shook on it.

The circle disappeared into the air as Voldemort moved through it. "I had hoped you were cleverer than that. After all, Granger, that filthy mudblood, could see the truth all along. Did she not warn you? Did she not try to help?" Ginny stared defiantly at Voldemort, though she was trying her best not to believe what she had seen. Still, Hermione had warned her. Ginny had known that it was possible…

"You see Ginny, I just wanted you to come so that I could retrieve my past self from you. It is Draco and Nagendra who tricked you, who betrayed you. Well, obviously Nagendra. But Draco was equally to blame, he practically brought you here himself with that letter he sent you. For not taking back the pin. For not giving you the potion he took when Snape was cleaning out his classroom. I doubt he understood its power, but he has had it all day, sitting in his pocket. Able to rid you of Tom Riddle forever, yet he kept it. Why else, Ginny? He is my follower and none of your romanticism can change that," Voldemort hissed. Ginny was feeling rage and betrayal and sadness and so many emotions that she didn't know what to believe. She wanted to remember that Draco had tried to take the pin numerous times, but had he really? His effort had not been that great. Had he betrayed her as Nagendra had? Had Hermione been right? _"I can fix it, Ginny. I can make him pay and you can go home. He will suffer and you will go home free of Tom Riddle forever." _ The voice echoed in Ginny's head and she looked at Voldemort. His smirk revealed what she thought was true; he was speaking to her in her mind. For a moment, she felt a flame in her chest, urging her to do it, to agree. Voldemort's smile widened. "No," she said. It was soft, almost inaudible, but Voldemort seemed to hear it because his smile faltered. "What?" "No," Ginny repeated more firmly, the flame ebbing slightly, replaced by a bitterness of betrayal. "No, it is not worth what your offering. I'll kick his arse myself but I won't let you hurt him. You'll do something terrible and I cannot allow it," she said. "Stupid girl, if you had consented you would have saved your own soul but now I'll have to destroy him through you without your will and you will be destroyed in the effort," hissed Voldemort.

Before Ginny could do anything else, Voldemort looked at her right in the eye and she felt herself being pushed from the room. In her mind she could see Draco Malfoy smiling at her, could see him pushing hair from his face and a laugh coming from his mouth. Could see him flying and running, laughing, kissing, and then-

_She was looking at the leering faces of Bellatrix and Nagendra peering down at her. She knew where she was; she had felt the comfortable warmth of Draco Malfoy's inner psyche before. She tried to close her eyes, tried to imagine her own red hair, hazel eyes, and laugh. Tried to imagine herself running and jumping. When she opened her eyes however, she sat looking at the ceiling. Bellatrix cackled but Nagendra looked scared. "What's happening," he snapped to Bellatrix. Ginny tried not to, but she felt her arms and legs stretching into the space that occupied Draco's arms and legs. She moved a blonde hair from her eyes. She saw blood on her hand. "The Dark Lord has begun to destroy the damsel. Now he sees how he is in distress," Bellatrix cooed. Ginny closed her eyes again, trying to pull herself back from this body. Her arms and legs began to feel more cramped. When she opened her eyes again, she was still Draco and Nagendra looked more concerned. "He is performing Crucio on him," gasped Nagendra. "I didn't think he'd do it in front of us." Bellatrix looked thrilled. She cackled. "On her, and he is effected through the pin!" Ginny closed her eyes, she would not be here. She moved back, scooting away from the arms and legs and sight. She moved farther and farther away, but she could not regain her own body. Still, she remembered when her arm had been bleeding and she had heard Draco's voice urging himself to overcome the magic that bound him to her. Worked to rid her of his possession so he could feel the pain of the dark mark. That had been pain. She closed her eyes and focused all of her energy. She would not let that blonde outdo her, nor fall because of her. She would break it as well so that she would feel the pain. She could imagine the pain of the dark mark, how it seared her arm, made it feel as if it would fall off from the pain…She could feel it…almost feel it…_

She opened her eyes again and found herself on the floor. It had felt as if she were being pierced by a hundred knifes and blood ran down her chin were she had bit her lip. She was exhausted. She moved to stand. "You will not trap me again." This voice was within the now empty room. Before her stood Tom Riddle. Ginny tried to squint, but he did not fade at all. "Where is your worse half, Tom," Ginny asked trying to stand, but finding that her legs would not take right away. "He left because apparently the Order is approaching. You threw him off by some strange power. I'm sure it would not work if he had not been distracted by the approach of those muggle lovers," hissed Tom. "But I will separate myself from you. I am solid enough from your soul's corruption at torturing another to sustain myself if you are destroyed. I will do it myself." From his pocket he pulled a wand, familiar to Ginny's eyes from the chamber of secrets. He moved towards her as he began to speak, saying, "I will so enjoy the next few moments before your demise." He hissed a spell in a tongue Ginny had never heard, and just as it was about to hit her, she closed her eyes, unable to do anything else. However, the spell did not hit her. She opened an eye to see Tom shoot another curse at her and she did not turn away. This one came within an inch of her nose before flying away as if reflected by some shield. "What-" Tom began, but his frustration turned to rage as he looked at the pin. Ginny looked down to see its eyes glowing brighter than ever before. "You have purified it? That's impossible. It cannot be used as a protective amulet," Tom hissed shooting curse after curse. But all bounced off of her, leaving her unharmed. Ginny stood seeing the frustration and moved from the room, out the door and down the hallway. Leaving Tom sending curses after her. Rushing to keep up, but failing. She had lost him by the time she reached the door she wanted.

Don't ask her how she knew this was the room. Perhaps it was because they were now almost inseparable or because he was too weak to keep up his psychological walls. Whatever it was, when she opened the door she saw Draco Malfoy propped against the wall, bleeding from numerous places, looking tired and run down. He peered up at her, groping for a wand he had snatched, but when he recognized her, he gave a weak smile. "Well," he drawled, unconvincingly trying to portray bravado. "My knight in shining armor." She rushed over to him, closing the door behind her. "You idiot," she snapped. She would have punched him but she felt sure that he would be unable to recover from the strike. He looked at her with unfocused eyes. One of them was swelling. "I've been here for ages, what took you so long to save me. I thought you Gryffindor were all about timing," he said with a half smile. "Hush up," Ginny snapped, feeling hot liquid behind her eyes. "You're lucky I even came to get you after you- and Nagendra-" "I did nothing with him," snapped Draco looking insulted. "I wouldn't team up with Nagendra to pull a prank on Potter. Who do you think started this off?" He motioned to his face, which was bruised and bleeding. "You sent a letter that lead me right to him," Ginny snapped. She moved his arm over her shoulder and worked with all her might to lift him, getting him to a standing position. "Ow, Ginny," Draco whispered making a face. "I sent a letter for you to meet me by the lake. I don't know why you went to that room or how you got in." Her shoulder was hitting something in his cloak. Ginny looked at him for a moment, searching his tired face. It was too exhausted to put on a characteristic Malfoy unreadable expression. It only looked at her as if begging her to believe him. "What are you carrying around that is cutting into me, git," Ginny snapped half-heartedly. Draco's eyes widened and he reached into his cloak, and pulling out a small vial. "I helped," he said with a smirk, handing it to her. "What is it," she whispered. "Just drink it," Draco said rolling his eyes. "I don't take things from strangers," Ginny replied without thinking. "Ginny, don't make me laugh. It makes my ribs hurt," Draco told her, reaching to push a strand of red hair from her face. His hand shook a bit from the effort of lifting it. "What happened to you," she asked. She felt sure he left a smudge of blood on her face where he had touched. He made a face that confirmed it. "Sorry," he said sheepishly. "I got the shit kicked out of me. Then I got crucioed but luckily this crazy Gryffindor knew how to make that stop. Scared Nagendra, I think."

"What is it," Ginny asked curiously looking at the vial and trying to hide her slight blush. She could hear someone rushing down the hall. She supposed it was Tom. Sure enough no sooner had she thought this then the door burst open and Tom Riddle stood, looking infuriated, wand pointing at them both. "You can't hurt me Tom, just give up," Ginny said with a smirk. Tom's eyes looked like a depraved man's as his hand shook pointing at her. She couldn't help feeling pleased with her power. His normally neat hair was beginning to come undone. His eyes moved to Draco and a smile began to appear on his face. "Not you," Tom smirked, "but your weak point perhaps." "Ginny, drink," Draco hissed. "I swear it's not poison. I swear." Ginny moved to undo the top of the vial as Tom began to move his wand. Draco's body made it hard for her to open the bottle. She could hear the strange tongue come from Tom's mouth and she pulled off the top, knocking Draco's arm off of her shoulder from the force. She drank the potion quickly, hearing Tom chuckle as he moved his wand to point at Ginny again. "You-what-" Tom began. What had begun as a triumphant smile turned into a look of horror.

Ginny felt rather odd now that she had drunk the potion and she turned to looked behind her. Draco lay motionless on the floor. The wall above him was smoking. Ginny felt as if she were swaying, her chest hurt. The door burst open and just as Hermione, Ron, and Harry rushed in with the other members of the Order, Ginny felt strange warmth rushing through her from her pained chest. She felt her knees give out in the shock of it and she fell backwards, landing right next to Draco, her head falling to look at him. She felt strange, very strange. The felt as if her whole body were unattached to her mind except for the warmth. The world was beginning to go black as the warmth became stronger and stronger. Just before she blacked out completely, she saw Draco weakly open an eye and take hold of her hand.


	8. Dragon Loves Weasel

Chapter 8: Dragon loves Weasel

When Draco awoke, it was to a splitting headache and a pang of hunger in his stomach. "Blimey, what time is it," he asked himself reaching blindly for the curtains around his bed. When he opened the curtains, he rubbed his eyes confused. He was not, as he had first thought, in his Slytherin dormitory. The sounds of Crabbe, Goyle, and Blaise snoring did not fill the poorly lit dungeon room. Instead he was in a very well lit room. Criminally well lit, if you asked him, Draco thought as he rubbed his eyes. Even more shocking then the well-lit room, which Draco assumed was the hospital wing from the amount of white that he was seeing, was the people who sat next to his bed. They were not Slytherins at all. In fact, one had red hair.

"Technically, they are here for Ms. Weasley," hissed a voice. Draco turned to see Severus Snape stretching from his seat. "Where is Ginny," asked Draco looking around curiously. Professor Snape motioned to the bed on the other side of the sleeping teens, the curtains still covering its occupant. "Is she alright," Draco asked worriedly. He moved towards the bed, but just as he took a step, the sleeping red head, Ron Weasley, made a noise. Draco paused. Professor Snape smirked. "Why are they in between our beds like this," Draco asked annoyed. It was nearly impossible for him to get around the Dream Team as they had positioned themselves right between Draco and Ginny's bed. "You think its some sort of dividing technique? I go to save her and they still think I'm the bad guy," Draco drawled annoyed, looking at Professor Snape.

Professor Snape only gave him a sad look of understanding. "It is likely, Draco, that you will always be just a Deatheater in their eyes." "Well that's just not fair," Draco hissed, climbing over his bed to get around the trio. "I did much more work in last nights battle than any of them did. Run off and call the bloody Order while Ginny and I deal with The Dark Lord's soul," Draco grumbled. "True, but life is not fair," Professor Snape conceded. Draco frowned, thinking of how quickly they had all adored Nagendra, despite the fact that he was a no good, double-crossing snake. Draco looked at the other hospital wing beds. "Professor," he asked suddenly. "Where did Nagendra get to?" Professor Snape smirked as he replied, "It is likely he has fled with Bellatrix and the other Deatheaters. It is likely for the best you do not know where they have fled to." Professor Snape stood straightening his wrinkled robes. Draco had never seen Professor Snape in anything but impeccable clothes. Draco's eyes widened as he realized why the robes were so untidy. "Sir," he began, feeling timid at asking. "Did you sleep here last night? In that chair?" Professor Snape's expression did not change from its stony look, however, Draco could tell the answer from his silence. "Thank you, Severus," Draco said quietly, honored by the affection shown to him. Professor Snape merely nodded silently as he turned, cloak fanning out behind him as he left. When he reached the door, however, he paused. "Draco," Professor Snape mentioned quickly. Draco looked up. "The battle was a week ago." With that the door closed quietly behind Professor Snape and Draco was left blinking confused.

If the battle had been a whole week ago, Draco thought, feeling his face for bruises and scars, why had he been asleep for so long? And why was Ginny still asleep. Draco moved around his bed and to Ginny's side, the side without the wall of Gryffindors. He paused for a moment with his hand on the curtain. Was it proper to open the curtain and peek inside? What if she were improperly clothed? He frowned. If only he could knock without knocking, but how... He sighed scratching his head in contemplation. He had to do something before the Dream Team woke up and separated them. Draco leaned close to the curtain, near the bed where Ginny's head was likely to be positioned, and whispered, "Ginny? Ginny are you up?" There was no reply. He frowned standing up and thinking. He peaked around the bed to see the trio. They were all still snoring soundly. Granger's head had fallen gracefully onto Weasley's shoulder. Draco shook his head. Leaning close to the curtain again, he hissed, a little louder, "Ginny! Ginny, if you're awake say something before your twit brother wakes up and punches me for checking on you."

"You're always so frightened of being punched by my brother." Draco jumped at the voice that whispered in his ear and turned, cheeks slightly pinker than usual, to see Ginny standing before him, fully clothed in her school uniform. "I thought you were in there," Draco hissed motioning to the bed. Potter made a noise as he readjusted his sleeping position. Ginny made a motion to hush and took Draco's hand, pulling him out of the hospital wing. As her hand touched his, Draco felt the familiar electric feeling move from her fingers to his. The slight tug that occurred at the corner of Ginny's mouth, revealed to Draco that she had felt it as well.

"I woke up ages ago and Madam Pomfrey gave me the look over- said everything was fine- and so I left. I didn't think it necessary to wake Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They weren't just here for me," Ginny explained as she lightly shut the door. "Who else would they be here for," asked Draco confused. "Well," Ginny said slowly. "I doubt any will admit it, but they were also here for you. I mean, after all, they'll want to know what happened after you disappeared and they were unable to even enter the house until the Order arrived." Draco's eyes widened. "Voldemort put a spell on the house. Only Deatheaters and I could enter until the order removed it. Dumbledore told me," Ginny explained. "You think your brother and his friends are asleep in those uncomfortable chairs for me," he asked. "That seems rather a stretch." "Well," Ginny said lazily leaning against the stonewall. "I'm sure my brother is simply there to hear the story and leave. However, I rather think Harry has warmed up to you a bit and Hermione would never miss an occasion to say that she knew all along you were an alright person." "Is that what she has been saying about me all these years," Draco asked smirking. "Funny way she had of showing it." Ginny smiled. "Yes, well, whether or not she thought it, she did mention it once or twice their first year and so I feel sure she will remind Harry and Ron of it." Ginny pushed her hair away from her face, moving it gracefully behind her ear.

"You slept for ages," Ginny continued, not noticing Draco's distraction. Draco concentrated again and smiled asking, "Apparently a whole week. Do you know why?" Ginny shrugged. "Perhaps you had to prove you could stay unconscious longer then I did. Such a show off." Ginny smiled and Draco put on his best smirk. "Well, Ginny, Malfoy's are always on top." "That is what it says on the bathroom wall, you know," Ginny giggled. Draco gave her a half-hearted glare, about to give a sarcastic retort when his eye was caught by a sparkle coming from her sweater. "Are you still wearing the broach," Draco asked pointing at the dragon that sat twinkling up at him. "Oh yes," Ginny said smiling. "I rather like it. This boy gave it to me you know. He's a bit of a pest, but I may just be in it for the money." She laughed, but paused when she found he was not also laughing. He was looking concerned at her. "Is that safe Ginny, shouldn't we get rid of the ring and broach so that Tom Riddle does not gain any power. I would hate to replay that whole scenario again," Draco said. His eyes looked searchingly at Ginny, who seemed to think pensively. "Well, I would agree," she said slowly. "Except that Tom Riddle is no more. The potion you gave me destroyed him completely."

"Are you sure," Draco asked.

"Yeah, when I woke up Madam Pomfrey told me that she and Dumbledore discovered the empty vial in my hand when I was brought in and when they tested the residue it was the purifying potion. It destroyed Tom completely. The only thing I can't figure is how you didn't get killed when he tried to curse you before I drank it," Ginny said.

Draco tried to think. His toes were getting cold without slippers and his pajamas were not helping to keep him warm. Then it hit him. "I remember," he said with a smirk. "You were trying to get the vial open and right when you did, you nudged my arm off of your shoulder. I fell and it rather hurt hitting the floor. However, the curse just missed me. I still don't understand why I slept for a week though," Draco frowned I thought. "Something about needing to make sure your soul was purified of any Tom reminisce as well," Ginny said, wiping something off of Draco's cheek. "Because of the body swaps you know? They had to put you asleep with a potion that takes about that long to wear off." Draco smirked taking hold of Ginny's wrist. A pale eyelash sat on her finger. "Make a wish," Ginny said with a smile. Draco grinned. Her smile just made him smile. He closed his eyes and blew the eyelash away. "What did you wish for," she asked moving her wrist so that his hand fell into hers. "That your brother wouldn't punch me when you say yes to being my girlfriend," Draco said with a shrug. Ginny's cheeks burst into red flames as she looked at him quickly. "You know wishes can't come true if you say them aloud," she warned. Draco's face fell. "What! Ginny, you have to tell me these rules before you ask me questions! Now I'm going to get punched in the face and my new girlfriend is going to break up with me because I'll have a broken moneymaker! I hope you can live with yourself," Draco hissed. It was quite hard not to smile.

Ginny laughed softly. "Well, aren't you being a bit overdramatic? I'm sure your girlfriend is a lovely, sweet, and overall wonderful person who will find your black eye a nice contribution to your- what was it- money maker?" Draco smirked. "You know her, do you? My new girlfriend," he asked. Ginny stood on her tiptoes for a moment, kissing Draco shyly on the lips before saying, "Ginny Weasley? Of course doesn't everyone know about her?" Draco pulled Ginny closer away from the stonewall she had been leaning against and brought his lips upon hers. They stood there in silence for a few moments, simply warming one another in the cold hallway. Finally, Draco pulled away and looked into Ginny's hazel eyes.

"I'm still going to get punched aren't I," he asked with a defeated sigh. "I'll try my best to prevent it," Ginny assured him with a smile. Draco shook his head sadly. "It's inevitable. I just realized you have six brothers," Draco said. Ginny laughed and kissed Draco's cheek as she moved to open the hospital wing door. "At least we don't have to worry about Tom as well," Ginny giggled. "Or that Michael character," Draco agreed. "I can definitely take care of him." The two smiled at one another as they softly closed the door behind them again, noting that the dream team was still sound asleep in slightly awkward and uncomfortable positions. As Draco tried to decide which side of his face he would prefer Weasley to punch, he moved to the edge of his hospital wing bed and jumped silently behind the curtains. His clothes sat nicely folded, courtesy of whatever house elf had done his laundry in the last week. Draco quickly changed and leapt out of the curtains again, nearly falling on his face, but regaining his composure just in time to see Ginny's concerned face turn to one of silent laughter. "Graceful, Draco," she laughed. "Oh quiet Ginny, Dragons are always graceful and put together." "And weasels can always smell a liar," Ginny responded, taking Draco's hand. "Now lets go to lunch, I'm starving."

Draco would admit that he was rather pleased with a life in which he could walk down a shocked corridor with the stunning and clever red head by his side. She would walk chatting with Samantha or Draco, as if she did not notice the mixture of shock and disgust that most observing faces had on them. She seemed totally oblivious to the daggers that the Slytherin girls, especially Pansy, sent her way. She seemed even obnoxiously proud at the fact that she simply walked from the room of scathing looks, which then turned to Draco as if they were betrayed. Draco knew that Ginny was running into her own questioning and suspicions, especially from her brothers and friends. At one point her five brothers, absent from Hogwarts, had all sent her a howler that was so full of their yelling voices overlapping one another that no observer could have hoped to translate the rabble. Still Draco had seen Ginny's expression as the card burst into flames: the look of hurt and annoyance at her prying brothers. Draco was sure he would be able to scare most of the Slytherins into respecting him again. The high point of not having any real friends was that there was never a real worry of losing them. Blaise had been nothing but over-joyed. He and Samantha still did their eye dance every morning, at which Draco and Ginny exchanged exasperated and amused looks.

There were a few awkward moments with the Slytherin group, before Draco pulled his political weight into the picture. The most evident was when he and Ginny sat at a table in the library, Draco reading quietly from his potions book as Ginny rested her back against his shoulder. She was taking up another chair for her feet. The library was rather full so close to the end of the year, with the approach of OWLs and NEWTs. Just as Draco was feeling especially intrigued by a potion he was reading about - one that could allow the drinker to apparate without the sensation of apparation- he heard the sound of galleons being banged onto a table. Draco smirked as he thought how Ginny would tease him for knowing that they were, specifically, galleons. That smirk disappeared as he lowered his book and came face to face with Pansy Parkinson, looking disgustedly at Ginny.

"There. That's all the money Blaise owes you from your bet," Pansy snapped. Even when she snapped, she still seemed to drizzle caramel all over her words. It gave Draco a toothache. Draco felt Ginny tense, though she did not move away from his arm. Draco pushed the red bag away from him. He could hear the clinking of money inside. "I don't want it, Pansy. I have enough." His calm drawl held an edge of warning. Pansy did not hear it, pushing the coins closer to him again. "I insist. You've proven your point. You can get the Gryffindor girls to like you as well. You can stop and come back to me." There was a moment of silence as Draco looked at Ginny. Her face was down slightly, seeming to be reading her book, eyes covered by her hair. Yet she had not moved away. She seemed to be listening. Pansy seemed to read his confusion on Ginny's reaction. "Drakey," Pansy cooed touching his hand. "Come with me. You belong with us, not with this filthy Weasellette."

Draco moved his arm away suddenly, making Ginny jolt back from her leaning spot. "Sorry," he muttered quickly before turning again to Pansy. "Don't call her that. I don't want your money; it was never about the money. It was always about Ginny. I have enough money," Draco hissed venomously. "I hope I will not hear such insults coming from your mouth again, Pansy," he said calmly, biting his tongue at the barrage of insults he had wanted to through. "Now take your money and leave. Blaise knows the bet was always just an aversion so that any noticed interactions between Ginny and myself would not be relayed through the gossip tree to unfriendly ears." Pansy seemed slightly confused at the veiled references Draco had made, but the explanation had not been for Pansy. This explanation had been for Ginny. Ginny turned the page of her book, seemingly uninterested, yet too attentive to her book. "Now take the money and leave, Pansy. Do not bring this up ever again and certainly not in so public an arena. We would not wish to have other people's secrets brought into the public eye, would we." Pansy's eye widened in the realization at what Draco was proposing. After all the years of Pansy pretending to be dating Draco, it was inevitable that he would know numerous secrets of the Parkinson family. Pansy stood up straight, with a look of disgust that pulled her pug like face became even more squished. "Fine, I'll leave and I'll take the money," Pansy snapped. She threw a dirty look at Ginny, who seemed unperturbed by the whole conversation. Then Pansy looked back at Draco, giving him her best eyelash batting she could manage in such a state.

"Oh, Pansy?" Pansy paused and turned to look at Ginny again, who had spoken for the first time. "Leave the money. He won the bet, didn't he? It's his." Draco nearly got whiplash looking at Ginny. She sat looking at Pansy, straight in the eye. Draco was sure there were flames dancing in Ginny's hazel eyes. Pansy sputtered, "you filthy-" she paused looking at Draco again and bit her lip. Pansy turned and marched from the library that was full of students now looking at Ginny and Draco. "Get back to your studies and mind your own business," hissed Draco to the room. The younger students rushed to get to work, the older ones rolling their eyes but returning to their own affairs as well. Then Draco turned to Ginny. "Ginny, do we need to talk about this," he asked softly. She pulled the bag towards her. "What's to talk about," she asked shaking it. "Twenty galleons? Not very confident in your wooing ability," she commented. "It should be fifty, and that's not the point. The bet wasn't for real. You know that right, Ginny? I made it so I would not be bothered by rumors and confrontations while I tried to get the pin and then, well, you were there. You know the rest," Draco said hurriedly, whispering so that no one else could hear.

"I knew about the bet." Draco blinked confused. "What," he asked. "Tom told me about it. Or rather, Voldemort showed me the scene. So it's not like it's an insane idea to me. And it doesn't erase the fact that you did a lot of things that were unnecessary for a bet. It doesn't erase the dark mark incidence," Ginny said opening the pouch and emptying the coins on the table, counting them. Draco looked around nervously. No one looked up form his or her studies at the mention of the Dark Lord or the idea that he had a dark mark. "Ginny," he hissed. "Keep it down."

Ginny looked at him sideways, pausing in her counting. "I think you should actually ask why you feel so guilty about it if it was so meaningless," she said turning away as Draco felt his cheeks turn slightly pink at her gaze. "After all, you tried to save me, I saved you; that would seem to outweigh a bet. Unless its an ongoing bet, in which case Pansy should have kept the money, shouldn't she," Ginny said thoughtfully. She was almost done counting. Draco blinked confused. He was perhaps over use to Pansy's dramatic styles. This reaction was so rational and understanding that he was a bit thrown back. "You are not mad at all," he inquired delicately. "You're right, it's fifty," Ginny replied putting the galleons back in the satchel and passing it over to him. He took it and put it in his pocket. "No," Ginny said after he removed his hand from his pocket as Ginny continued, "I'm not mad because I was mad when we were fighting Tom and I wasn't sure how I was going to react but then Voldemort told me he could punish you and I said no. I realized that if you were so terrible as to do it just for the bet, or Voldemort's plan, I would soon find out and you would be indebted to me. I suppose it was a naïve call but- what?"

Ginny shifted nervously under Draco's gaze. "Why are you looking at me like that," she asked. "I just-" he began, pausing to think again. "I don't think I've ever met anyone who was so caring and brilliant," he said. Ginny's cheek became red as she waved her hand in the air as if shooing away the compliments. "Draco, you're embarrassing me. I'm just explaining why I'm not mad so you don't feel guilty." "I know," Draco replied. "That just makes it more true." Ginny looked at him oddly. "You're daft, Draco," she smiled, turning to lean against him and resume reading. "Yes, well daft I suppose is love's state of mind," Draco responded feeling the wittiness of his retort. Well, the wittiness until he realized what the retort had just let slip.

He seemed to have realized at the exact moment Ginny did because she made a gasping noise and turned full circle in her chair to look at him. "What," she hissed. He looked at her hazel eyes that darted rapidly across his face, searching. He opened his mouth as if about to respond, but no words came out. He closed his mouth. He probably looked like a shocked fish out of water, he scolded himself. However, his voice box was not to be trifled with, less it let slip another confession of sorts. So, he merely responded with a "hmm?" Ginny looked at him expectantly. "What did you say," she asked carefully. Draco flipped quickly through his book, clearing his throat. "Nothing, Ginny. We'll talk about it later shall we," he asked nervously, not looking at her. The moment passed and Ginny slowly went back to reading her book, but not before giving Draco a few more odd looks. Draco meanwhile, could only pretend to look at the potions instructions because now he had to deal with a new issue: he had almost just said the L word to Ginny Weasley in the middle of the library.

That was of course no way to say the L word, Draco thought later that week as he stirred his potion in Professor Snape's classroom. Which is why Draco had spent the last week thinking and working to figure out the perfect way to reveal the secret. He had paid off Filch and some Slytherin first years to watch the astronomy tower door, not letting anyone in or out and had found the kitchen (thanks to Potter's help) and had made arrangements with the house elves. Tonight, he would tell Ginny on the astronomy tower, as they ate her favorite foods by candlelight. It would be the proper way to reveal such a feat as the L word implied.

Professor Snape glanced over at Draco every so often, more then the usual favorite nod, Draco noted. "Draco," Professor Snape said finally, pulling Draco from his thoughts. Draco looked up. "What is this I have found by your desk? Have you been passing notes?" Draco was confused at the crumbled piece of paper that Professor Snape now held out to him. He took it and uncrumbled it. "I haven't been doing anything but potions, sir," Draco explained, looking at the note. "Should we ask it to be read aloud," Professor Snape asked quietly, looking at Draco with a somewhat disappointed expression.

"It was mine, Professor," Blaise said quickly from the table in front of them. "It's rather private. I'd appreciate if it wasn't shared aloud." There was a long moment silence as Professor Snape looked at Blaise, seeming to decide how he felt about such a request. Then, silently, he turned away and moved back to the front of the room. Draco turned to look at Blaise, giving him a questioning look, to which Blaise shrugged, nodding towards the front in the signal that he was busy. Draco turned back to the paper which was only half uncrumbled. He finished opening it and read quickly, feeling a rapid sinking in his stomach. The note read:

"Those who betray the Dark Lord meet stiff fines. Be wary of those who may be untrustworthy for it is they who will work t destroy you. There are numerous snakes in the grass of Hogwarts. Be alert and don't be foolish."

Draco turned to Blaise again, who now refused to catch his eye. He crumbled up the paper and threw it under his cauldron, right into the flame, making the parchment dance and disappear into ash.

Draco had decided that the warning note was not enough to change his master plan and so, though he was nervous about the ominous note, he still stood in front of his mirror at eight that night and straightened his dress cloak. "You look nice, Draco," Crabbe said in his usual slow voice. Draco looked over his shoulder. "Thank you, Crabbe," Draco drawled. Draco could feel Crabbe's eyes on his platinum blonde hair. "What are you dressed up for," Crabbe asked finally. Draco moved away from the mirror taking his broom from under his bed. "A dinner," Draco answered shortly. "In the Great Hall," Crabbe asked confused. Draco rolled his eyes, as he approached the door. "No, Crabbe. Not in the Great Hall. It's a special dinner."

"So a last meal scenario." Draco's hand paused on the doorknob as he turned to look at Crabbe's face. The dull look that always sat on Crabbe's face still remained but something was different; something in the eyes. They seemed to twinkle with the truth. "What are you on about," Draco hissed. Crabbe said nothing. Just then the door behind Draco opened and Blaise stepped in. "Hello mates, what's all this about?" He seemed to sense the tension and his face grew serious. "Well, aren't you dressed up," Blaise said in forced cheer to Draco. Everyone was acting so odd today, it was more bothersome then he could have imagined. "It's a last meal," Crabbe grunted, turning to move towards his own bed.

Draco reached furiously into his pocket, pulling out his wand. "Say it again you oaf! Say your ridiculous riddles again and see what happens," Draco hissed, his face flushing red. Crabbe continued moving towards his bed silently. "I am a Malfoy," Draco drawled standing up straight, a smirk pulling his face. It portrayed triumphant but in his stomach, Draco felt extremely uneasy. "I will be respected." "You will be dead," Crabbe's voice said lazily as he pulled his legs into bed. Draco was about to shout a curse when he felt Blaise pull him from the room, grabbing Draco's broom as they left.

"Watch it, Draco," Blaise hissed as he continued to drag Draco out of the dungeon and up the stairs. "Did you hear him? Talking to me as if I were some common placed first year? I will not be talked to in such a way," Draco sputtered angrily. "Draco," Blaise said more fiercely then Draco had ever heard him speak before. Blaise pulled him around violently, nearly slamming Draco against the wall of the secluded hallway he had been dragged to. Blaise was very close to Draco, looking extremely serious. "I don't think you understand the severity of the situation you're in. This is not some game between you and Crabbe, or some dinner party with Ginny. This is much more serious. You've been marked. It's all over the gossip of the chosen ones," Blaise hissed. He looked up, searching the hallways quickly to make sure no one was listening. When he turned back to the silent and defiant looking Draco, Blaise seemed tired. "Look, you defied the Dark Lord. I know you had to; he was going to kill you. But, you defied him all the same. Now how is that going to look if he has two people running around able to defy his authority? Potter is bad enough, but at least Potter was never a Deatheater," Blaise said, pointing to Draco's dark mark, which was covered by his cloak. Draco searched Blaise's face. There was no usual strain of joking, no pompous attitude.

"When am I expected to meet such a fate," Draco asked. "When am I marked for?" Blaise was silent, removing his arm that had been holding Draco pinned. He leaned against the wall next to Draco, yet he said nothing. "Blaise, tell me," Draco urged. "You can't go around telling someone they are marked without telling them for when they are marked." "Will you tell Ginny?"

The question seemed to come from far away. From some clouds and fog that blocked Draco's senses from working at their most capable. "Is Ginny marked," Draco asked seriously. Blaise said nothing. "She defied him as well. Will she be marked? Someone has got to tell her then," Draco said taking a step forward. Blaise pulled him back. "I don't know when you are marked for," he said finally. "And I don't know when or if she is marked. I just know that the Dark Lord himself marks you for death. Now Dumbledore wants to see you and don't ask me why but that's all I know. Now beat it," Blaise said pushing Draco away from him. Draco stumbled slightly from the push and looked at Blaise. Blaise said nothing, simply motioning up the staircase at the end of the hallway. Draco sighed, taking his broom from Blaise and heading towards the stairs. He hoped this would finish soon; he had to get to Ginny's dormitory window before it got to late. He had something important to tell her, and with this new information, time seemed even more essential.


	9. The Weasel Mourns a Dragon's Fall

Chapter 9: the Weasel Mourns a Dragon's Fall

Ginny looked at her clock again. Draco was late. She bit her lip and pushed the red hair form her face. "Ginny, if you ask me to do your hair but then continually run your hand through it, it's a bit pointless to ask for my help at all," Samantha said lazily from her place on the bed. She was watching Ginny pace back and forth nervously, eating a bowl of fire corn chips. Ginny glared at Samantha, who simply returned the favor with a smile. "Maybe if this hairdo would stop falling in my eyes," Ginny exclaimed annoyed. "Don't get mad at the hairdresser for your late boyfriend," Samantha scolded Ginny. "And for pete's sake, take off the broach! It doesn't work with the outfit at all and honestly, it's a bit gaudy," Samantha whined. Ginny looked at Samantha angrily. "I will not take it off," she snapped. "Look, Ginny," Samantha said slowly, as if talking to a particularly difficult five-year old. "You are going to be eating with Draco so why do you need the broach? Just leave it here. I promise I won't sell it on the black market." Ginny gave Samantha an odd look. The blonde merely nodded in confirmation that she would do as she promised. "Fine," Ginny said, taking off the broach and putting it gently on her dresser. "Besides, he's right there at the window," Samantha said, not moving from her position. Ginny turned quickly and rushed to the window where Draco sat tapping. She helped him through and he dusted himself off. "Hi there," he said pleasantly, kissing her before nodding at Samantha.

"Ginny has been worried sick you know," Samantha scolded, tossing fire corn chips in her mouth. Her ears steamed with the heat, but she didn't seem to notice as she chewed. "You are a bit late," Ginny said. She thought for a moment that he seemed suddenly very tired as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. Worrying that she had hurt his feelings she touched his arm. "Are you alright," she asked kindly. Draco looked at her and smiled, the look of sleepiness left his face entirely and Ginny wondered if it had ever been there at all. "I'm lovely, Ginny. Now come on I have the best dinner planned. Hop on," Draco said moving towards the window. "You look beautiful, by the way," he added as she stepped out of the window and onto the broom that sat suspended hundreds of feet above the ground below. Ginny smiled. "You look pretty good yourself," Ginny laughed as Draco hopped onto the front of the broom. He looked over his shoulder at her, very seriously. "Just pretty good," he asked concerned. "Well, maybe handsome, or something," Ginny conceded with a laugh. "I swear, tell a girl she is beautiful and the best you can get out of her is that you look 'pretty good' and 'handsome or something'," Draco said in a mock annoyed tone. "Oh just drive," Ginny instructed giving him a nudge.

Ginny enjoyed the sensation of flying with Draco. She liked wrapping her arms around his midsection, feeling the wind whipping against her face and hair. She sighed internally rolling her eyes. Was there any point in doing her hair? It was just going to be all-windblown when they landed anyway. At least it had given her something to do as she waited. Draco was normally very punctual, even early. It was odd then that tonight he had not been on time. Tardiness of was not a Malfoy trait. She decided she would ask him, remembering his look of exhaustion that had flickered across his face. She turned her head so that her chin rested on his back, blocking the wind from her eyes. She could see the side of his face, concentrating on flying to the destination. His narrow face was set, must like it was in pursuit of a snitch. Ginny smiled.

"We're here," Draco called over his shoulder. However, he need not have said anything at all for as they landed on the astronomy tower, Ginny would have known that they had arrived. Beneath the crescent moon, Ginny could see a small table, a white tablecloth draped over it, barely touching the ground. The ground was covered with jasmine, making the sweetest aroma in the night air and the table was set with a flickering candle and two golden plated. "Draco," Ginny said breathlessly. "It's a bit much for dinner don't you think?" Draco frowned at her reaction. "You don't like it," he asked somewhat pouty. She smiled kissing his cheek. "It's lovely, it just seems a bit excessive."

"Malfoys are excessive," Draco reminded her, taking her elbow and leading her gently to the seat. She sat down, touching her hair. In such a nice atmosphere she was suddenly very self-conscious about her worn dressing robes and windblown hair. She looked up to see Draco looking at her with an odd smile. "What," she asked curiously. "Did a bug fly on my face?" Draco laughed shaking his head. "Shall we eat," he asked.

An hour or so later, Ginny was feeling full. As the remaining food disappeared from the magic plate, Ginny took a sip from her glass and looked at Draco. He was looking at her and then away nervously, tapping his finger, shaking his leg under the table. Ginny wasn't sure what was making him so antsy though. "Draco, this was delicious," Ginny said with a smile, touching his hand. Draco smiled back at her. "Well, it should be I took so long planning it," Draco responded. He seemed to pause as if wanting to add more, but he did not add anything else, instead hurriedly taking a sip from his glass. "You're acting rather oddly tonight," Ginny said looking at Draco sideways. She could not figure him out. He cleared his throat.

"The thing is Ginny," Draco said, not looking at Ginny completely. Ginny had never seen him so antsy. It was rather enduring. She could feel a smile tugging at her mouth. "The thing is that, well we haven't really been dating to long I suppose but, after you save one another's lives it seems longer, don't you think," Draco asked. He paused. "Wait, that didn't come out right. Not that it hasn't been enjoyable," Draco said, he paused again. "No that sounds bad as well…" "Draco I don't understand," Ginny said. She was extremely confused. "Look, Ginny," Draco said taking Ginny's hands as he stood and move to her side of the table. "I'm trying to say something and it's failing terribly. I'm trying to say that I-" Draco's face twisted into a pained expression as he fell to the ground onto his knees, hands still holding Ginny's. "Draco," Ginny said worriedly. "What's wrong?"

Draco was gritting his teeth as he released Ginny's hands and rolled p the sleeve of his dress robe. She could see the dark mark shine in the moon light. It did not look, as it often did, like an ancient tattoo. Now it burned a deep black as if it had just been applied. "I'm being summoned," Draco stressed. He spoke through gritted teeth. "What do you mean summoned," Ginny asked standing up. But she already knew. In her daydream that had begun when she awoke she had naively forgotten that Draco Malfoy was still a servant to the Dark Lord and that he could not escape as easily as she or Harry Potter could, by simply rushing from a room. "You can't go," Ginny said suddenly feeling frantic. "He'll kill you!" "He'll kill me if I don't go," Draco replied, touching Ginny's cheek with his hand. She placed her own hand on top of his. "Draco," she pleaded. "I can't save you, I don't know how."

Draco smiled, his gray eyes looking at her as if truly seeing her in a way that Ron and Hermione rarely did. Not as if she were a backdrop but the center stage. "Ginny," he said, speaking quietly. "I don't think I've ever loved someone as much as you before. Or ever will again." Ginny bit her lip feeling tears jump to her eyes at the comment. Draco continued, "I would never have freed myself from the power that was the Dark Lord if it was not for you and I would have died before now if you had not saved me in the manor. I love the way you smile, the way you breathe, the way you kiss. I love the way you think, the way you joke, the way you are always kind and strong. I love the way the moon slides down your hair, how you're blushing bright red, and I love the way that you are worried about your dress robes not being good enough, though you'd kill anyone who commented on them poorly." Ginny looked at Draco, searching for the clear words he was trying to say. Draco winced again as the shade of the mark darkened once more. "Look, I love you," Draco said.

The pure simple tone of the words struck Ginny faster and harder than a bludger to the head. "Well, this is awkward if you don't say anything, Ginny," Draco said nervously. "It's not fair," Ginny said feeling tears sting her eyes. Draco looked confused. "It's not fair that you would bring me up here and tell me that you love me and then just leave to get killed by Voldemort. It's not fair." "Ginny," Draco said softly. "I didn't plan it like this. If I had my way I would never be summoned and I could wipe this mark off like it was a spot of dirt. But I can't." Draco sighed. "It was unfair to tell you at such a time though, I suppose. You must hate me for the timing."

Ginny frowned, feeling tears trickling from her eyes as she said, "That's the problem, you git. I love you too and now you're going to Voldemort." She stood and rushed into Draco's slightly surprised arms, burying her head into his chest. She could smell his cologne and hear his breathing and heartbeat. "Draco," she said looking up at him. "Don't go. Please." Draco moved a strand of red hair from her face, wiping a tear away. "I have to. If I don't go the Dark Lord will simply target my parents, or you. Besides this is my own fault. It will be fine," Draco assured her. She knew he was lying and she could tell that this was what had made him look so exhausted earlier that night. He wrapping his arms around her waist and kissed her, seeming to try to assure her in that way as well. Seeming to try and lie, but it only said more truth. Draco made a sound of pain and pulled back. "I have to go," he said, moving his hands from her waist. One got caught in her pocket as it passed, making Draco smirk. "I love you," he said kissing her forehead gently. He turned and took his broom. "Do you need me to drop you at your window," Draco asked holding out his hand to Ginny. She shook her head. "I think I need to just sit for a bit," she said. He nodded understanding. "Leave whenever you like Filch and the first years have likely left by now," Draco explained motioning to the door behind Ginny. Ginny nodded as Draco mounted his broom. He looked behind at her once more. "Draco," she said, but the rest of the words got caught in her throat as tears returned to her eyes. Draco smiled, nodding as if he understood. Then, he was gone and Ginny sat on the astronomy tower alone.

The cloud seemed to dance across the sky mournfully, covering and revealing the moon. Ginny wished she knew what was going on, what she could do. She watched as the candle beat the wick and wax away. The wax rolled down the side of the candle and began to pour on the tablecloth. She sighed, wondering if you could read candle wax like Professor Trelawney claimed you could read tealeaves. If that was true, this bit of wax was beginning to look like a coiled snake, with horns. Ginny squinted. Perhaps it was more like a dragon. With that thought, Ginny stood up so quickly she made the table shake and the half burned candle almost fell. Ginny steadied it and felt her chest. There was no dragon pin. She sighed agitated. She had left it in her room! Turning, Ginny closed her eyes tight and made a secret wish that Draco would be all right, and then she blew out the candle before rushing from the tower.

When she arrived at the Gryffindor Tower doorway, she was flabbergasted to see that the Fat Lady was nowhere to be seen. "Of course," Ginny snapped impatiently, pacing back and forth. The Fat Lady did not appear. "Where is she," grumbled Ginny leaning against the wall after an hour passed. "And why is there no one exiting the tower!" A sound above her made Ginny look up. The painting of a small boy who had been flying a kite peered down at her. "Sorry to bother you, miss," the boy said, holding the kite with his other hand as he moved chestnut hair from his face. "I think the woman you're looking for is in Headmaster Dumbledore's office. One of the headmaster portraits said that he wanted to speak to her a while ago and I would think that she is still there." Ginny's smile broke into a smile. "Thank you so much," she said about to rush off. "Oh, do you know the password by any chance?" The boy seemed to think for a moment, scratching his head. "Some sort of treat. He is a bit odd…" "Thank you," Ginny called as she rushed to Dumbledore's office.

Once facing the statue that stood between Dumbledore's office and herself, Ginny to catch her breathe. As she crouched, arms resting on her head to open her lungs, Ginny tried to think what sort of strange treats Professor Dumbledore could be interested in making his password. "Cockroach Clusters," She asked. The stone gargoyle in front of her made no movement. She bit her lip in thought, recalling what Harry had mentioned about Professor Dumbledore's treat tastes. "Lemon Drop," she asked hopefully, unsure of what a lemon drop was exactly. Whatever it was it was not the password. Ginny tapped her foot impatiently. "Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Botts Beans, Earwax flavor, Butterbeer, Puking Pastilles," Ginny began listing every treat that came to mind. After she finished saying Pastilles, just as she was wondering if Professor Dumbledore had ever heard of Weasley Wizarding Wheezes, the Gargoyle statue shook its head. Ginny stepped back in surprise as the Gargoyle stretched and lazily moved to the side revealing a doorway that lead up a long stairway. Ginny nodded at the Gargoyle, saying "thanks," as she rushed passed. She would have to remember to tell Fred and George that Professor Dumbledore had an odd liking for their Puking Pastilles.

When Ginny reached the top of the stairs she found that Dumbledore was not in. In fact, no one was in the room at all. The few portraits that were present on the wall were asleep, snoring soundly. Ginny scanned the room. She could not see the pink dress of the Fat Lady. "Excuse me," Ginny said to a sleeping portrait. "Sorry to disturb you," she said to another. Neither responded with anything more then a snore. "I hate to bother you," Ginny began, tapping the frame of the lowest sleeping portrait, a man with an overly curly beard. The man opened one eye and looked at Ginny. "Don't do that, young lady," he mumbled grumpily. He rearranged his robes and began to doze off again. "Sir," Ginny said fiercely tapping on the frame again. This time the man opened both of his eyes. "I say young lady, why are you banging on my frame in such a fierce manner," he snapped.

"I'm sorry but I am looking for Dumbledore or the Lady who is normally outside the Gryffindor Tower. I need to get into the tower," Ginny explained. The portrait looked at her for a moment, taking out a monocle from his pocket and placing it on his eye to inspect her more closely. "Well, I don't see how Dumbledore will be able to help your dilemma," he said removing his monocle. "You need the portrait in front of the tower." Ginny sighed and tried again, in a nice tone. "Yes, that's who I'm looking for. I heard Professor Dumbledore called her here. You see it's most important that I find either the Lady or Professor Dumbledore," Ginny tried to explain. "Young Lady," the portrait snapped impatiently. "I think it wisest for you not to be sticking your nose into area that are not your concern. It may get cut off at the tip." Ginny touched her nose in confusion.

"But, can you tell me where-" Ginny began again, feeling a desperation growing. However, the portrait cut her off. "The Lady of whom you seek is off somewhere else," the portrait explained, leaning back and resting his chin on his chest as he had been before. He placed his monocle back in his pocket and began to close his drooping eyes. "It will do no good to search for her for who knows where she is. Best to wait here for Albus since you are already here." "But," Ginny asked. "Can't you just tell me where he is?" However, her question was answered with only a snore from the portrait. Ginny made an exasperated sound and sat on the wooden bench at the edge of the room.

"Ginny? Ginny Weasley?" Ginny opened her eyes. She had not realized she had fallen asleep but somewhere in the five-hour time she had sat in the office she had lain down and simply stopped thinking. She rubbed her eyes looking around. The room seemed to brighten, as if some magic had dimmed the lights in her sleep. Remus Lupin stood above Ginny, nudging her lightly to wake her. Ginny sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Where is Professor Dumbledore? I have to speak to him," Ginny said remembering suddenly why she was in the office in the first place. Remus exchanged a look with the woman standing behind him. Ginny had never seen the woman before, but she smiled gently at Ginny, her long chestnut hair delicately cascading over one of her eyes. Her eyes looked very familiar. But where had Ginny seen those eyes?

"Is that you, Tonks," Ginny asked, momentarily distracted. The woman blinked confused. "Who," the woman asked. "Oh, Remus is that your girl?" The woman nudged Remus playfully, who blushed. "Ginny, this is Lela Snape, she is a member of the Order of the Phoenix and an old friend of mine," Remus explained. "It's a pleasure to meet you," Lela said smiling. "Snape has a sister," asked Ginny dumbfounded. "You don't look anything alike." Lela laughed. "I get that a lot. We're twins actually, fraternal and all that. He got the greasier look and the scathing looks, I got the other side of the genes and the inability to neatly eat food," Lela replied. Ginny smiled. "Lela, let's concentrate shall we," Remus said sternly, though Ginny saw the corner of his mouth quiver with a would-be smile. Lela sighed pushing hair from her eye. "Professor Dumbledore is not here, nor will he be here tonight. He has been called to a crime scene to verify the presence of Voldemort," Remus explained.

Ginny's heart sank. "What happened? Why does he need to verify anything," Ginny asked feeling a frantic feeling come over her. "We suspect it was a murder," Remus said slowly. "You expect? But it's not positive," Ginny reiterated quickly. "The dark mark was over head," Remus told her softly. Ginny looked at him seriously. "What are you trying to say," she demanded. "Who was killed?" "Well, that's the thing," Remus said gently. "There was no body found." "So maybe no one was killed," Ginny said in forced cheerfulness. "I suppose it was all a practical joke."

"Voldemort was always terrible at jokes," Lela conceded. Remus looked at her sternly. Lela put up her hands as if she got the message and walked away to look at Professor Dumbledore's desk. "Ginny, we are pretty sure it was Draco Malfoy who was killed," Remus stated gently. "We don't believe you are in danger because of the fact that he has no use for killing you, and you are safe anyway with spending summers at Grimald Place." There was a crashing sound in the background and Remus and Ginny looked to see Lela standing guiltily next to a broken globe. "I can fix it, you know," she sputtered. "You say we stay at Grimald Place? Sirius' old house?" Remus rolled his eyes. "Lela, you are not helping." "Right," Lela said quietly. Ginny looked at Lela.

The tall woman was about Remus' age. Her face shone with a sudden sadness that Ginny had not seen until the mention of Sirius' name. Then it occurred to Ginny that if Lela was friends with Remus, it was likely that she had been a friend with Sirius as well. Sirius, who had fallen through the veil. "Did you hear me Ginny," Remus asked. "Draco is dead." Ginny felt numb. That's all she felt: numb. She could not feel the blood pumping through her body, nor the tears rushing down her face. All she could do was feel nothing and look over Remus' head to Lela Snape who stooped over the globe, magicing the pieces back together. Ginny saw light dance off of Lela's face as a drop of water fell from her shadowed face and landed on a piece of Africa. Ginny wondered if this is how Lela and Remus had felt when they had heard that James and Lily had been killed. Had they felt numb? Or had they wanted to fight as Sirius Black had?

"Did you know Sirius," Ginny asked suddenly. Remus stood quickly. "I don't think that's appropriate, Ginny," Remus replied gently, looking at Lela. She had paused, holding a piece of Europe that she was trying to connect to Scandinavia. "Did you? Did you believe it when they said he was dead? Did you? What did you do?" Ginny willed herself to stop asking questions of the stranger she had just met, but her mouth continued speaking through the haze of numbness. It seemed to have a mind of it's own. "Ginny-" Remus began sternly, giving her a look that tried to stop her talking. "I don't really talk about it," Lela said softly, magicing the last pieces of the globe together. "Isn't that why you were brought here," Ginny asked. "Weren't you brought with Remus to comfort me. You just came to tell me and leave? Pat my head and send me to bed," Ginny asked. Her voice sounded hysterical and distant, detached even. Remus said nothing, only looked at Lela.

"Perhaps eventually," Lela replied, tucking her wand into her sleeve as she looked at Ginny. "But for now, you have to know that there is someone else who went through what you are going through," Lela said crouching to Ginny's level. "Did you feel numb? Did you love him ad then he just died," Ginny asked. Her voice sounded closer. "He just died. And there was nothing you could do?" Lela looked at Ginny right in the eyes and Ginny felt as if she would fall into the dark orbs of Lela's eyes. "Sirius died twice, for everyone who thought he was guilty. He died twice for everyone who thought he was innocent. The first time I felt shock, and rage, and fear. I was confused. I visited him in Azkaban, to get an answer and he just looked at me with those hollow cheeks and soulless eyes. Then the dementor left and he whispered something about a rat," Lela said. Remus touched Lela's shoulder as if to remind her that she need not tell her story to Ginny, who listened anxiously. Lela nodded to him, as Ginny asked, "Did you think he was guilty?"

"No and yes. Like all death, I didn't know what to think," Lela replied. Ginny frowned. "Then, the second time he died," Lela continued quietly. "The second time I was angry at him. He came back and then he died. That was fairly jerky. Then I was just numb." "Numb," Ginny asked. Lela nodded. "It's alright to feel numb," Ginny verified, seeking more to herself than to Lela. Lela nodded as if understanding both the words and whom they were meant for. Then Ginny leaned forward and simply sobbed into Lela's shoulder. Ginny felt Lela's arms around her and they sat like this for at least two hours, though Ginny was not sure how long.

When Ginny awoke, she found herself in her dormitory bed. Pushing away her covers, she found the room was empty. On the table next to her a note that read "Don't forget to eat toast to cheer up- Love Lela." Ginny tried to force a smile, but the feeling of happiness that the note created seemed so far away it could not reach her face. Half heartedly she moved to the dresser and looked. Suddenly a panic hit her. The pin was not on the dresser where she had left it. Looking down, Ginny found that she had changed into her pajamas last night, likely in a half trance. Flustered, Ginny began to tear the room to pieces looking for her clothes from last night or the pin. She found her dress cloak from the night before. Perhaps she had put it into her pocket and simply thought she had placed it on the desk, Ginny thought reaching into the pockets she found nothing. Yet as she pulled her hand out of the second pocket, a crumbled piece of parchment fell to the floor. Curiously, Ginny bent down and uncrumbled the parchment, seeing a familiar scrawl that Draco Malfoy used in all his notes and papers.

Ginny's chest hurt, it physically felt as if it would implode and she leaned against the bedpost for support. After she recovered her breathing pattern, Ginny looked at the note and stopped. She turned over the parchment. Nothing was on the other side. Ginny closed her eyes and tried to think where the paper could have come from. Then it hit her. When Draco had pulled away, his hand had gotten stuck on her pocket, or so she had thought. Perhaps it had gotten stuck inside her pocket! On the note, written in Draco's writing, were the words: "Don't believe everything that you hear and never believe what you cannot find."

But what did it mean? Ginny felt her heartbeat accelerating with excitement. She lowered the note and her eyes fell upon the Dragon pin, lying on the floor by her dresser looking up at her. She stared at it for a moment, then at the note. They seemed to tempt her, guiding her to do what she had wanted to do last night but had not been able to because of the disappearance of Dumbledore and the Fat Lady. Ginny moved slowly, almost surreally to the pin and put clipped it onto her robes. Sitting down, she looked at the note again. Then, she crumbled it in her hands and closed her eyes, imagining Draco's platinum hair, his voice, and his kiss as he said, "I love you, Ginny…"

Ginny wasn't sure if one could find a dead body with the broach's magic, but she could feel her arms and legs extending in a familiar warm psyche. She wondered if this was what it felt like to be dead. Everything around her was darkness. Was she, Draco, dead? She felt a throbbing fear in her heart and yet, she could not get worried. Something surrounding her would not allow her to. She could hear voices around her. Talking in whispers as if she were asleep. "It is better this way, for her not to know. Her safety depends on it. The Dark Lord has no use going after her when he has Potter to worry about." The voice sounded like Professor Snape. "And we are sure that she will not discover somehow," asked another voice. This one was unmistakably the voice of her older brother Charlie Weasley. "It is never a guarantee, but at least this way everyone else will believe in the death. It is not uncommon for His victim's bodies to go missing," replied Snape's voice. Ginny was feeling frustrated. She wanted to not see black. She concentrated, trying to gain power over the eyelids of the body she inhabited. She would see now. With that, she opened her eyes not to find herself in darkness, but instead found herself in a train carriage. She sat next to the window, looking out at the passing scenery. "Your sister talked to her," Charlie's voice asked. "Yes," Professor Snape responded, though his did not sound as if he approved. "Though my sister and Black were a different matter, hopefully it helped somehow."

Ginny turned her head, stretching in her new arm and leg length, and looked about the compartment. It was small and seemed to be a more modern, muggle train. She had seen pictures from her Father's books. In the compartment sat Charlie Weasley, playing chess with Professor Severus Snape. They both looked up, pausing whispered conversation. "Are you feeling alright, Draco," Charlie said with a smile. "You've been asleep for ages. But I suppose dying can really tire someone out." Charlie let out one of his loud laughs that Ginny was so familiar with. Professor Snape, however, looked more serious. He looked at Ginny right in the eye and did not smile or give a nod of approval as he often did to Draco. Ginny turned her head away quickly, catching her reflection in the window. The tired grey eyes and messier than usual blonde hair of Draco Malfoy looked back at her. He was wearing muggle clothing and had a few bruises on his face. A black eye was beginning to disappear. Ginny wondered if Professor Snape had given him a potion to fix the swelling.

Ginny could hear Charlie and Professor Snape whispering, but could not make out the words as she tried to figure out what was going on. Draco's body could not be found because Draco was right here, on this muggle train with two members of the Order. The Order who said Draco was dead. "Well, that's a real pity. I knew she was smart," Charlie replied nonchalantly. Ginny turned her (or rather Draco's) head to look at the two men. Charlie was standing, moving over to her. He looked down at her, a knowing smile on his face. "Sorry, Ginny, love. It's for your own good." With that Charlie pinched Ginny's (or rather Draco's) arm as he use to pinch Ginny when they were younger and she was distracting him from his work or from his girlfriend. Ginny closed her eyes in pain.

When she opened them again she was not on a train. She was in her room and her arm where Charlie had pinched burned with pain. She moved to the bathroom, turning on the light to look at the place that Charlie had pinched. It was just out of comfortable eyesight. Ginny looked in the mirror to see it. There was a red spot as big as her thumb, if not bigger. Ginny sighed, rubbing her arm. Still, she could not help but smile. Draco was alive. Somewhere he was alive and he loved her. And he was not dead and she loved him. Ginny sighed and felt as if she breathed for the first time in ages. As she looked in the mirror, the pin on her chest seemed to shine a bit brighter than usual, it's eyes twinkling, as if to agree and confirm. The Dragon did not fall.

The end.


End file.
